


Working out the Paradox

by chayron



Category: Kyou Kara Maou!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-25
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-14 17:05:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 104,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2199939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chayron/pseuds/chayron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While Yuuri decides to go on an enlightening journey infested with lice and spiced with cold weather, Wolfram tries to find his own path.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kyou Kara Maou! I’m not making any money from this work of fanfiction.  
> Warnings: Yaoi (male x male), Yuuri x Wolfram.
> 
> A/N 1: I hate Greta; she is nonexistent in this story, and Yuuri has never adopted her. So if you want to see small, cute babbling girls *yuck!*, you chose a wrong fic.  
> A/N 2: There are some similarities to the series, but I don’t think there are any spoilers.  
> A/N 3: I know I should have umlaut on “u” in Günter’s name, but it’s just too bothersome and I suspect that some sites I might post this fic on, might make some hieroglyph instead of the letter. So you’ll have to bear with “Gunter”.  
> A/N 4: This is my first Kyou Kara Maou! fic.  
> A/N 5: beta-read by punkin02. 
> 
> 2006 08 06

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 1

Wolfram was softly snoring. Yes, despite that his fiancé would harshly protest – Wolfram did snore. He was doing so softly, but he did snore. He usually also kicked in his sleep as morning approached. 

Yuuri rubbed his bruised ribs and sat up in the bed. He pulled the sheets higher over himself and reached for the glass of water that stood on the bedside cabinet. He closed his eyes while fervently downing several big gulps; the water running down his throat felt wonderful. 

It was summer; it was hot enough as it was, and here he had Wolfram warming his bed in addition. True, this was the biggest four poster bed he had ever seen; and there should, theoretically, have been enough space for four or five people, but somehow, Wolfram always managed to crawl over to his side or kick him out of the bed.

Yuuri put the empty glass back onto the bedside cabinet. He looked at the window, the sky was already lightening, the sun getting ready to announce the start of a new day. Despite that it was still shadowy in the room, the air was already warm, and Yuuri could presume that the day would be as hot as the previous three had been.

Yuuri turned to look at the boy who was lightly snoring beside him; Wolfram was lying slantwise, his feet rammed into Yuuri’s left thigh, his head hanging down off the other side of the bed. After Yuuri had demanded that Wolfram at least bring his own covers for the bed, they had slept under separate covers. Again, only theoretically, because Wolfram always either ended up under Yuuri’s cover, entangled in Yuuri’s cover or entangled in both of them, while Yuuri was left to be content with only his pajamas for warmth.

This time was no different: Wolfram’s cover was kicked to the side, wrapped around one of the bed posts, the ends sweeping the floor. Wolfram’s legs, up to his thighs, were caught under Yuuri’s cover. The rest of him was covered by that infamous nightgown, which, luckily, was not rolled up this time. 

Yuuri sighed as he shifted closer to Wolfram’s side. No wonder Wolfram snored – anyone would snore while having their head almost falling off their shoulders. Yuuri grabbed Wolfram by his upper arm and pulled him up until Wolfram’s blond head was on the pillow. By the time he was finished, Wolfram’s nightgown was hardly covering his crotch. 

“Uhh?” Wolfram blinked his sleepy eyes at Yuuri, who was settling back under his covers. “Yuuri?” Wolfram wondered why he was so bent at the waist. He shifted to get his body parallel to Yuuri’s, then pushed his nightgown down.

“I was hoping you’d stop snoring, and you kicked me again,” Yuuri muttered under his breath. “I think I have two broken ribs.”

Wolfram’s hand blindly searched around for his cover. His emerald eyes followed Yuuri’s finger that pointed towards the end of the bed. 

“Ah, sorry,” Wolfram yawned while untangling his cover from the bed post. He pulled it up over himself and settled back to sleep. “Wimp.”

“Shut up.”

Next time Yuuri awoke, it was already morning, and Gunter was pounding on the other side of the door.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

Yuuri rolled to his other side and pulled the cover over his head. But it was no use. Gunter didn’t cease in his pounding, and soon Wolfram began to stir. Then Morgif started indicating that he was also awake, as weird incomprehensible noises were wafting down from the wall where he was hanging. Yuuri usually hung Morgif on the wall over his head before he went to sleep. That way Morgif had Wolfram’s sword to keep him company.

But Morgif was not interested in other swords. Morgif was obsessed with young girls and Wolfram. The obsession with Wolfram was quite a surprise, but then…Yuuri doubted that anything could surprise him anymore. After spending several hours in this crazed castle - and Morgif spent much more - any sword would turn gay.

Let’s take Gunter for example – that long purple hair, equally purple eyes and ethereal beauty were sooo obviously gay…and those long fluttering eyelashes… and why was Gunter groping him all the time? And then there was Wolfram…the guy was his fiancé and was happy about it! Gwendal loved knitting and plushies – undoubtedly gay! Conrad…Conrad was sooo nice and soft and had the warmest eyes in the whole universe…and what weird relationship did he have with Yozak and Adalbert? – That smelled of a kinky threesome! 

Yuuri was worried that the gayness was rubbing off on him too. It was not that he was prejudiced – for gods’ sake, he was engaged to a guy! – but it unnerved him. Before coming to Shin Makoku he had been completely positive that he was heterosexual. Now he felt pushed, because once again – oh my god! – he got engaged to a guy who was determined to marry him, and no one found it weird.

Yuuri turned his head to the wall, to Morgif whose enthusiastic voice now was drowning out Gunter’s shouts and pounds on the door. After seeing the source of the demon sword’s enthusiasm, Yuuri jumped out of the bed - Wolfram was having a morning erection. Wolfram’s cover was kicked off again, and it was obvious under that light pink nightgown. Yuuri’s secret hopes that Morgif was shortsighted were dashed away – Morgif did know that Wolfram was male.

Yuuri was a flexible guy, but everything had its limits. He did mind having Wolfram in his bed, they had talked about this plenty of times. He had BEGGED Wolfram to get the hell out of his bed. Useless. Wolfram was always stressing the fact that they were fiancés and he was always insisting that Yuuri needed protection. 

Despite Yuuri feeling that Wolfram was crossing the line, he tried to be tactful about it. He didn’t want to involve anyone else, but there was the time when he turned to Conrad for advice on how to solve the situation he was in without casualties. Conrad didn’t say anything, they just sat silently until Conrad finally told him that he had to deal with this himself. Conrad also said that he felt more reassured while Wolfram slept in his chambers; it was better for Yuuri’s safety’s sake that someone who knew how to use a sword slept in his room. So obviously Conrad was supporting his younger brother…

“Wolfram,” Yuuri called while looking for his clothes. “Get up.” Yuuri turned to look at Wolfram, just in time to see Wolfram notice his aroused state. Wolfram blushed and pulled the covers higher on himself. 

Yuuri turned away, leaving Wolfram to his privacy. He couldn’t figure the guy out – Wolfram was the one insisting on sleeping in one bed, he was the one with the word “fiancé” constantly on his lips. Wolfram had even tried to make several passes at him and he still had a decency to blush about such things… Incredible. 

“Your Majesty!”

“Coming, coming!” Yuuri shouted in the direction of the door. “Did you lock the door again?” he asked Wolfram. “We’ll go to bathe first!” he shouted at the door. He groaned mentally after realizing that with using the word “we” he had just given permission for Wolfram to follow him to his bath.

“Wonderful, Your Majesty, I’ll see that your private bath is ready!” wafted Gunter’s enthusiastic voice.

“Yes, I did,” Wolfram nodded. He quickly slipped out of his pink nightgown and looked around for a towel. “It pisses me off how he pounces on you each morning.” Wolfram found one and wrapped around it his waist, then scooped his clothes into his arms.

Yuuri rolled his eyes at the wardrobe in front of him. Although, there was a bit of truth, and he agreed with Wolfram to keep the door locked against Gunter – Gunter was obnoxiously loud and scared, groped and hugged the shit out of him each morning.

“Fine,” Yuuri muttered, knowing perfectly well that he had just given permission for Wolfram to lock the door every night. It wasn’t bothering him much, just a little bit, to think that half of the castle and the whole country would be thinking that Wolfram and he would be doing “it” almost every night…

To their relief, Gunter had already gone, and they calmly walked to the bath. While Wolfram was busying himself with endless bottles and packets of his toiletries, Yuuri quickly slipped into the pool.

“Ahh…” a relaxed sigh escaped Yuuri as soon as he was submersed in the pleasantly warm water. He leaned his back on the edge of the stony bath and closed his eyes. Wonderful, it felt wonderful. 

He truly loved this bath. Something huge like this, filled with lightly steaming blue-green water, the steam concentrating higher between the engraved columns and under the delicate arcs… the lion and ox-head falls streaming into the bath, gracefully arched windows that let the columns of light pass and fall into the water. All that was exclusively his. 

The miracle of everything happening to him was still making him dizzy when he thought of it. A year ago he was a normal boy and had no idea that such a thing as Shin Makoku existed. And then wham! – He got flushed down the toilet and woke up in a field in Shin Makoku. And the rest… ah, his head spun when he thought about it, and lately he thought about it often. It was probably because there were only several days left until he turned sixteen. He just felt weird. It was not his nature to analyze and think so much, but lately, he did.

Yuuri dunked himself into the water, then quickly resurfaced shaking his head, his wet hair splashing droplets of water all around.

“Want me to wash your hair?”

Yuuri’s eyes opened, but he didn’t turn to look at the blonde who stood behind him. Yuuri sighed. “Why do you still insist?”

“I just offered to wash your hair…” Wolfram moved closer, his bare feet tapping softly against the stones.

“You know what I mean, Wolfram…” Yuuri sank back into the water, hoping to escape and for Wolfram to just drop it. Today Yuuri was not in his best mood. 

But when Yuuri resurfaced again, it was not over yet.

“I don’t see anything wrong with washing my fiancé’s hair!” Wolfram snorted. He walked over and dropped onto the edge of the bath next to Yuuri. Yuuri turned his head to the side to look at the pale legs that dangled in the water, creating small waves, the circles outspreading further into the pool. Yuuri bit his tongue before he could snap at Wolfram.

Wolfram unscrewed a bottle of shampoo that smelled of apples and poured some of the greenish tacky liquid onto his palm. Then he dropped the bottle onto his towel-clad lap and reached for Yuuri’s head.

“Wolfram, I didn’t give you my permission,” Yuuri moved away from the ledge and swam deeper into the pool.

Wolfram frowned. His eyes followed Yuuri’s back before looking down at his palm, at the greenish liquid that had started to seep through his fingers and drip softy to the floor. Wolfram stood up and shed the towel, leaving it crumpled on the stony floor. He climbed into the pool and ducked his head under the water, then resurfaced and started rubbing the shampoo into his hair.

Yuuri swam to the other side of the pool where several shelves with toiletries for his personal use stood. He presumed that this was Gunter’s collection. Yuuri rummaged through the bottles, then took a random one that had “shampoo” written on it. He wasn’t good at reading the new language yet, but he was working on it. 

Yuuri opened the bottle, smelled it and decided that it was too sweet for his taste. He looked for another and when he was finally content, started washing his hair.

At first, when he was new here, he didn’t know how things worked. Had he known, he would have punched rather than slapped Wolfram, when he had insulted his mother. Had he known, he would have never picked that knife up. Had he known that by defeating Wolfram he would confirm the engagement and set a firmer claim on the blonde… Ah, he didn’t know what he would have done then, but he would have tried to avoid this situation at all costs.

It never ceased to amaze Yuuri how sudden Wolfram’s change of heart was. One moment the blonde was his sworn enemy, the next Wolfram was running after him and swearing his love to him. Wolfram explained that it was only natural when his fiancé was the one who had defeated him. Yuuri was left to ponder on that. Was it Wolfram’s pride? He had bested Wolfram, and now the blonde felt obligated to him? But that was ridiculous, it had all been a silly misunderstanding! 

At first he wasn’t concerned about Wolfram’s attention. As most of the things he encountered in this new world were weird, neither Wolfram’s jealous shouts nor Wolfram’s heated glances at his side made him feel any weirder than he already felt. As Wolfram seemed to be quite impulsive and short-tempered, Yuuri had expected Wolfram to tire of it soon and find a new interest or sympathy and simply forget about it. It didn’t happen. Quite the opposite, his indecision led Wolfram to believe that there might be something between them.

Yuuri thought about canceling the engagement. Had thought of it many times, but he also knew that that would damage Wolfram von Bielefeld’s reputation. Although, he was more concerned for Wolfram himself than for Wolfram’s reputation. He knew that Wolfram harbored hope that one day he might answer his feelings. If anyone asked Yuuri, he would have said that it was rather closer to an illusion than a hope.

Yuuri cast a look over to the other side of the pool where Wolfram stood immersed in water. He had finished washing his hair and was reaching for a sponge. Yuuri lowered his eyes to the rippling water in front of him and lowered himself further into the water to rinse the shampoo from his hair. 

He liked Wolfram. Wolfram was one of the best friends he had ever had, his fiery character, devotion and many peculiar things about Wolfram making him admire his friend. But recently he had been feeling uncomfortable and drifting away. Wolfram’s affection toward him was becoming too much, weighing him down. He didn’t want to hurt Wolfram, and it pained him to see his friend spin in that illusionary hope. Wolfram was hurting himself - he wanted something that Yuuri couldn’t give him. 

“Want me to wash your back?”

Yuuri stopped making bubbles with his mouth in the water and raised his head in the direction of the voice. “No, Wolfram, I don’t want you to wash my back,” Yuuri shook his head. He closed his eyes so as not to see Wolfram’s face.

XXXXX

Breakfast went smoothly. The food was nice, it seemed as though nothing major had happened in the country; the talk at the table was lazy, lacked any point, but was funny, which made Yuuri relax. But it was unbearably hot. The scorching sunrays were falling right through the huge windows and warming the dining-room. Already, after five minutes, Yuuri felt his black “kingly” outfit sticking to his body. His pores were oozing with sweat. Yuuri could only think about a lake and a carton of ice-cream.

“Why is it so hot?” Yuuri complained, unbuttoning several of the top buttons of his uniform. He reached for his glass of reddish looking juice. He had no idea what kind of fruit it was made from but it had quite a pleasant taste to it, besides, the others were also drinking it.

“It’s the season,” Gunter chirped. “Isn’t it nice?”

Yuuri suppressed the urge to glower at the lavender-haired man. “How long is it going to last, this season?” Yuuri asked.

“Likely several weeks more,” Conrad said. “Your Majesty should stay at the other side of the castle, where the sun doesn’t reach and doesn’t heat up the stone walls,” he advised, knowing all too well how Yuuri felt. “If I remember correctly, there’s a spare room. If Your Majesty wants, I shall order to move your working table and other belongings that Your Majesty might require for today.”

“It’s “Yuuri”, Conrad,” Yuuri protested. “Yeah, I’d like that,” he nodded enthusiastically. “I’m afraid my brain might just melt like that butter…” he motioned at the table to the dish of melting butter.

After breakfast, Conrad led Yuuri to the said room in the other side of the castle. The room was quite small in comparison to the one he was used to working in. The walls were dark and undecorated, the carpet covering the floor was old, and it was a dark brown in color with black ornamental patterns. But the window was quite big, letting in enough light for Yuuri to work by. 

The huge table arrived after five minutes. Gunter, his arms filled with piles of documents, rushing in after it. The table was set up under the window, and Yuuri sat down, the stacks of papers immediately towering on the table in front him.

Gwendal casually strolled into the room, looked around, cast a glance at the piles of paper on Yuuri’s desk, nodded his head approvingly, then turned around and left. Yuuri was sure he only came to see that he wasn’t trying to avoid doing his paperwork.

Yuuri truly respected and admired Gwendal. The man’s face could freeze a hall full of people in horror. His face left no place for protesting the words that were leaving Gwendal’s mouth. Yuuri thought that every self-respecting king should know how to make such a face and was secretly trying to learn that skill. Though, when he tried it out on Wolfram, the blonde had asked if he was sick. With Conrad it didn’t go any better – the brown-haired soldier had asked if he needed to use the bathroom.

The only one who was invincible to Gwendal’s scary face was… Annissina. The woman was a monster. Really. There was nothing scarier than the emancipation of women, but Annissina…she was the Armageddon. Each time Gwendal saw her, he got one wrinkle more; each time Gunter saw her, it shortened his life by one year; each time everyone else saw her, they ran, because to see her meant trouble.

After everyone except Gunter left, Yuuri inhaled deeply, stretched his arms then took a pen in his hand. He was truly grateful to Gwendal – all he had to do was to sign the papers. But soon was coming the day when he’d have to take everything into his hands. He dreaded that moment. But he was learning - he didn’t want to disappoint anyone.

XXXXX

Wolfram’s wooden sword clashed against Conrad’s. Two fighters strained against each other, then the shorter man was sent several meters back. At the last second Wolfram managed to regain his balance and catch himself on his feet before he could hit the ground. He stood against Conrad, short quick pants leaving his mouth, the wooden sword stuck in the ground. Wolfram’s hands were wrapped around its handle to support his weight while he used the short pause Conrad gave him, to catch his breath.

They had been sparring for several hours, both Wolfram and Conrad were sweaty, disheveled and dirty. A circle of men was surrounding them in the courtyard. Some of them were in Conrad’s disposition, the ones who wore blue uniforms were under Wolfram’s dominion. The men were enjoying the good fight, each of them cheering their leader on. But it was clear who was superior in this case; everyone could see that Conrad’s less-trained and less-experienced little brother was tired.

“Well, one more round, and I’ll have to go to see how His Majesty is doing,” Conrad said as he raised his sword.

Wolfram snorted, he knew perfectly well what Conrad was doing. Like he needed someone to pity him! With an angry roar he charged at Conrad. Conrad blocked the attack, diverting Wolfram’s sword to the side. Then Conrad’s wooden sword rose quickly, the tip of it touching Wolfram’s pale neck instantly.

“You are no good when you’re angry,” Conrad sighed, tossing his sword to one of his men who caught it nimbly. The man put it aside and held out his usual one for Conrad. “We are done for today,” Conrad said.

Wolfram glared at him but didn’t say anything. A surge of fire from his palm turned the wooden sword into a crisp. “Fine!” he spat. He walked over to the wall to take his sword, fastening it at his side and marching out of the yard, his bodyguards scurrying after the irate prince.

Conrad chuckled softly under his breath at the display. He waited for Wolfram’s back to disappear behind the corner then motioned for Yozak to step closer; he was still full of energy. “Want to have a go?”

“Sure,” Yozak grinned, drawing his sword.

XXXXX

Wolfram decided to have a bath to wash the dust and sweat off himself. He went to his room to take a spare set of clothes and turned to the bath that they all used.

Wolfram wasn’t really angry. Most of those snappish demonstrations of anger were faked or a great deal exaggerated to how he felt in reality. His brothers knew that. Not once had Wolfram wondered why he did that. He came to the conclusion that it was like he put a shield between him and the thing that aggravated him. He also knew that his short temper let him be angry with the problem and then simply let it pass and forget about it, while calmer people struggled with keeping their feelings inside.

Yes, Wolfram was good at self-analysis and despite the fact that he hated how Conrad handled him sometimes, he also knew that Conrad was doing it for his own sake. 

Wolfram turned around at the sound of boots quickly scraping over the stone. 

“Wolfram! Wolfram!” Gunter waved at him.

Wolfram stopped in the middle of the corridor and waited for Gunter to jog up to him. 

“Is Yuuri finished with his work?” Wolfram asked. “I thought about going for a ride…” 

“Ah, yes, he’s finished,” Gunter nodded. “But I doubt he’d want to go. Yuuri is in a bad mood today,” he explained after Wolfram’s questioning look. “I wonder if it has anything to do with his bruised ribs…”

“Eep?” Wolfram squawked. But then his blazing eyes locked on Gunter. “How do you know his ribs are bruised?! Did you grope my fiancé again?!” he clenched his fists.

Gunter waved his hands in front of himself in defense. “No, no! Though, I wouldn’t mind…” his face turned dreamy for several seconds. When a fireball appeared in Wolfram’s palm Gunter’s face became worried. “But no, I didn’t!” he waved his hands again as if to ward Wolfram off. “He had been complaining the whole time.”

“Oh,” the fireball disappeared from Wolfram’s palm. “Really? Then I’ll ask Gisela for some soothing balm. Ah…” his emerald eyes sparkled and then dilated at the thought of himself rubbing the balm into Yuuri’s skin.

“I have already sent Yuuri to Gisela…” Gunter ran his fingers nervously through his long hair. 

“Damn.” 

Gunter’s eyes widened in horror. “You should be an example of a well mannered man! If I hear you curse once more, I’ll inform Gwendal!” he scolded.

Wolfram glared at Gunter but didn’t argue. Gwendal was not someone he wanted to face. Wolfram raised his nose high in the air and turned around. “Hn!” With that he marched to the bath.

But then…Wolfram doubted that Yuuri would have let him touch him. Yuuri would have probably given him that weird look full of pity and run away.

TBC


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 1: I hate Greta; she is nonexistent in this story, and Yuuri has never adopted her.   
>  A/N 2: beta-read by punkin02.

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 2

“Wolfram, do you feel okay?” Conrad asked. “Wolfram?” he repeated louder as his brother didn’t seem to hear him.

“Huh?” Wolfram reacted finally and raised his head to look at Conrad.

“I asked if you felt well…” 

“Oh, sorry,” Wolfram ruffled through his golden hair. “Yes, I’m fine,” he nodded. His emerald eyes concentrated back on his dinner.

Absentmindedly, Wolfram shifted his salad from one side of his plate to the other then repeated the same procedure with his steak. Without much appetite, he started cutting the steak into pieces. 

Gunter had been right – Yuuri didn’t want to go for a ride. After Wolfram had suggested going for a ride to the countryside, Yuuri said that thanks to him kicking him in the ribs, he was not able to sit on a horse. Then Wolfram had suggested Yuuri taking a carriage. Yuuri had just glared at him, then.

“…Shori…my birthday…arrives…fun…what…”

Wolfram raised his head after his mind connected the floating words into a string of sensible information.

“Is Shori coming for your birthday party?” he asked.

Yuuri looked at him. “Yes, exactly what I WAS saying.”

“Hn,” Wolfram shrugged. “When is he coming exactly?” Last time he was here, Yuuri’s brother was giving Wolfram weird glances. He was suspecting that Shori was not really approving of Yuuri’s and his marriage, so he wanted to work on wooing Shori to his side.

“Tomorrow evening,” Yuuri answered.

“Later Yuuri is planning to go home and celebrate his birthday with the rest of his family, but Shori wanted to see the country celebrating ,” Conrad added.

“Have you decided if you’ll live as a Mazoku or a Human?” Cecile’s pleasant voice wafted in the dining-room.

All jaws at the table stopped moving at once. Choking, Wolfram turned to look at his mother. Sometimes he was worried that he might have inherited more than her beauty…

“Mother, Yuuri IS a demon king, the Mazoku demon king…” Wolfram drawled. He chose not to add that this was the stupidest thing he had ever heard his mother say.

“Oh,” Cecile blinked. “But a tradition is a tradition. Yuuri can choose…”

“No, he can’t!” Wolfram denied. “That’s unheard-of! How can a Mazoku king choose to live as a Human?” 

Yuuri looked from Wolfram to Cecile then back to Wolfram. “I don’t divide people into Mazoku and Humans. First of all we all are people. But if it’s a tradition then it holds true for everyone. I CAN choose,” he stressed while looking at Wolfram, not realizing that he had just said two things that clashed with each other.

Wolfram had a feeling that it didn’t matter what he would say today – Yuuri would protest against everything, anyway. Nonetheless, he couldn’t hold his tongue: “Then be a Human, for gods’ sake!” he snapped.

“Wolfram!” Conrad looked at Wolfram.

Wolfram pushed his chair away noisily and stood up. “If His Majesty allows it, I’ll go to sleep,” not waiting for an answer he marched out of the room.

“Did you have some sort of disagreement?” Gunter asked Yuuri after the door had slammed shut. It was common knowledge that Wolfram’s bad moods were based on Yuuri, and the opposite.

Yuuri only sighed. He was already regretting his behavior. Nevertheless, he was sure that the tension between Wolfram and him would only grow.

XXXXX

As not to wake Wolfram up, Yuuri closed the door softly. He tiptoed to his side of the bed. Wolfram was asleep. The prince was facing him, his face relaxed, golden bangs falling over his eyes. Yuuri turned away and started undressing.

“Yuuri?” Wolfram yawned. He snapped his fingers to light the candles. The blonde shielded his eyes and raised his head to look at the other boy.

“Yeah, it’s me. Sleep,” Yuuri finished unbuttoning his shirt and went to hang it up in the wardrobe.

“I’m sorry I kicked you. Does it hurt?”

Yuuri stopped on his way to the wardrobe. He shook his head then sighed. “Well, you didn’t do it consciously, so you have nothing to apologize for,” he went to the wardrobe and hung the shirt then unzipped his trousers. “I’m sorry I acted like it was your fault… I’m like charged recently… All irritable somehow…” he hung the trousers up on the same hanger as his black shirt.

“Hn…” Wolfram turned to his other side, facing the dark side of the room. “I think you just need to relax. Use the opportunity while you can - take a break and leave the castle for a while. Either go to Earth or go sightseeing here. I suppose it would be good for you to see more of your country.”

“Hmm…” Yuuri walked over to the bed and sat down. It was a good advice, and he appreciated the sincerity in it – Wolfram usually protested harshly against him going anywhere. Then it dawned on Yuuri. “You’d want to go together?” he turned to Wolfram.

“Of course, I’d go,” Wolfram yawned. “Hell only knows what you’d do while alone. All those bitches are only waiting to steal someone’s fiancé!”

Yuuri groaned. “If you go with me, it won’t be any break!” 

Wolfram turned around quickly. “So you want to go alone to meet those vamps?! You cheater!” he yelled at Yuuri.

“Oh gods…” Yuuri groaned again. He rubbed his face. “Will you shut up?” This sounded like a married couple quarrel. “Let’s just go to sleep.”

Wolfram muttered something under his breath and settled back under the covers. 

“Thanks for the advice, anyway,” Yuuri said. “I think I’ll use it. But you are not going with me.” Despite wishing not to continue this conversation, he knew that if not stated right away, he’d not be able to talk Wolfram out of it later.

“What?!” Wolfram’s indignant tone rang in the dusky room.

“I promise I won’t be hunting for girls. Especially not for guys,” Yuuri sighed, slipping under the covers, wondering why he was making such promises at all. Ah, how he would have been happy if Wolfram had chosen to answer Elisabeth’s feelings. The girl was beautiful and cute and as fiery as Wolfram was. The problem was that the girl was as obsessed with Wolfram as Wolfram was with Yuuri. Why did things never work as one wished?

“Whatever,” Wolfram mumbled. The lights died. The bed creaking silently, Wolfram turned away from Yuuri, and he knew that Wolfram was satisfied with his promises. That he wouldn’t get any more nasty comments.

XXXXX

“Uhhh… Mmmm…”

Yuuri turned to his other side and pulled the cover over his head to block the noise. But the soft voice was soon heard again.

“Hnnn…”

“Shut up, Morgif!” Yuuri mumbled sleepily.

“Uhhh…”

Yuuri pushed the covers away to give an angry look at Morgif. Morgif was sleeping. Confused, Yuuri looked around. It was almost the same time again when Wolfram woke him up yesterday – the morning was approaching, the dimness slowly evaporating and melting in the embrace of the room.

As the sound repeated, Yuuri turned his head to the source. Wolfram. Yuuri felt how his face flushed red to his hair roots. 

The other problem of Wolfram sleeping in Yuuri’s bed was that they both were teenagers. And what did teenagers do most of the time? Exactly! – Were horny.

Wolfram meowed something again. His hips moved in leisurely circles towards the mattress. Yuuri felt that his face was turning from hot to scorching lava. 

Wolfram’s lips moved again, “Yuu…”

In a second a huge pillow smashed onto Wolfram’s head to muffle the rest of the name. Yuuri wanted to glower at Wolfram for having a wet dream about him without his permission, but the king was only able to let out a loud yelp as he was thrown off the bed. Yuuri landed on his backside on the hard floor, another startled grunt leaving his mouth as pain flared through his spine.

“Ah! Fuck!” Wolfram’s voice echoed in the room.

Wincing, Yuuri raised his head to look at the bed where Wolfram stood in his fighting stance, holding his sword. Wolfram snapped his fingers, the candlesticks flaring to life. He jumped quickly from the bed to the floor. Wolfram grabbed Yuuri by his front and, almost tearing the boy’s pajamas and strangling the wide-eyed king, pushed Yuuri behind himself. The blonde was frantically looking around, searching for danger.

“Wolfram,” Yuuri sighed after getting over his surprise. He tapped his hand on Wolfram’s shoulder. “False alarm. It was me. I hit you over the head with the pillow because you didn’t let me sleep.”

The erratic breath that was leaving Wolfram’s mouth stopped. Wide-eyed, Wolfram turned around slowly. Then Wolfram continued to breathe.

“You…” Wolfram clenched his left fist, “…wimp!” he hissed in fury. “I could have accidentally slit your throat!”

“Uhh…” Yuuri shifted from one foot to another. He hadn’t actually thought of that. For some reason he always forgot that it had been sheer luck when he had won the duel against Wolfram. Wolfram was a skillful fighter, his sword and reflexes were quick. The sword that Wolfram carried with him everywhere wasn’t an accessory to make Wolfram look cooler. Yuuri scolded himself mentally.

“Ah, sorry…” Yuuri scratched his head, giving Wolfram a sheepish smile, “…for making you that worried…” 

Wolfram gave him a good measured glare. He snorted and started looking around for his sword sheath. After several seconds he found it tossed on the opposite side of the bed. He sheathed his sword and climbed onto the bed to hang it back onto the wall.

“What’s wrong with your hand?” Yuuri asked after he had noticed Wolfram inspecting then cradling his right hand and looking around for something. 

Yuuri followed Wolfram into the bed and sat down next to him.

“Your stupid sword bit me!” Wolfram raised his head to give Morgif a scorching look.

Morgif let out several pitiful sounds which probably meant an apology. Wolfram had grabbed him by accident, still sleepy and seizing the first sword at hand. Morgif really liked Wolfram, but he was still a sword that could only be used by the king. And despite Morgif’s deepest regrets he had to bite on those pale and delicate fingers that had wrapped around him.

Yuuri reached his hand, concerned. “Show it to me.” 

“It’s nothing,” Wolfram snapped. He tore a bit of the cover and wanted to bandage it himself but was stopped by Yuuri’s hand on his upper arm.

“Listen, I’m sorry for smashing the pillow on your head, but don’t be such a prick,” Yuuri said, pulling Wolfram’s arm to him. He knew that Wolfram didn’t curse without a good reason and when Wolfram had shouted it was a pain-filled sound.

There was an ugly bite on the side of Wolfram’s hand. The bite was quite deep; Morgif’s teeth had cut through the skin and into the flesh and it was bleeding profusely.

“You need to disinfect it,” Yuuri said in a serious tone after looking at the wound. 

“It’s nothing,” Wolfram repeated. He retracted his hand from Yuuri’s grasp. “In the morning I’ll just go see Gisela.”

Yuuri would have preferred Wolfram to tear that pink nightgown of his instead of the cover, but he kept his mouth shut. Now, when he thought of that, Wolfram had looked dramatic while standing on the bed, in his pink transparent nightgown - which had been falling off his shoulders again -, being ready to fight: a sword in one hand, a fireball in the other, his emerald flashing eyes scanning the surroundings quickly. The image had been disturbing. Yuuri shook his head to get rid of the reminder.

Yuuri watched the stubborn boy trying to wrap the bandages he himself made. Wolfram was pressing them with his right hand fingers, so as not to slip, and trying to wrap with his other hand. Wolfram was flinching in pain and not succeeding, the bandage slipping off or being wrapped loosely. 

Yuuri sighed. “Is there something like a first-aid kit or something?” As each time he had hurt himself there were plenty people to take care of him, he had no idea where the medicine was stored.

“A what?” Wolfram snapped. “Ah,” he nodded then. “There’s something similar near the kitchen.”

“Ask one of the guards to bring it. I’ll tend to your hand.”

“There’s no need to tend to anything. It’s-”

“Wolfram. It’s an order.”

Wolfram didn’t dare object the tone Yuuri spoke in. Despite most of the time Wolfram didn’t show it, but he was always aware that Yuuri was his king – he was just trying not to let Yuuri subdue him. He knew that as soon as one in the pair started taking a position of a compromiser, he would always be expected to submit. Although, many wondered who was trying to subdue whom here…

There were times when Yuuri either turned into that powerful being or chose to exert his authority otherwise, and there was nothing else Wolfram could do except obey. That gave Wolfram mixed feelings. Sometimes it hurt and made him insecure, but on the other hand it made him proud and rapturous to have such a king. Then he wanted to smile proudly and boast that this was his fiancé.

Wolfram got up and went to the door to call for a guard. After unlocking it, Wolfram pushed the huge double door open. He cringed at the screeching sound that echoed through the dark and empty corridors. The prince went outside where a bit farther down two guards were stationed and ordered one of them to bring a kit.

From the doorway Wolfram turned to look at Yuuri. Yuuri was leaning on the headboard, watching him with an indescribable look on his face.

“Hn,” Wolfram leaned against the doorframe. “Do you feel sick?” he asked.

Yuuri sighed. And he had failed once again. “No, I don’t. I am trying to learn that scary look your brother has…” he admitted. “I thought it might be handy…”

Wolfram burst out laughing. “You serious?” he chuckled after Yuuri nodded. “Well, I can say that you still have a long way to go – it really looks like you are sick…or need to use the bathroom.” He thought for a moment. “I think it’s inborn. As far as I remember Gwendal, he always had that look on his face…”

“Pity,” Yuuri sighed. “It would be so useful…”

Wolfram rolled his eyes. “You have a way better thing – the majutsu no one else can rival.”

“But you see… It’s not that I would start smiting everyone around or drench them in the rain to prove my point…” Yuuri pouted.

“Yeah, you are a wimp,” Wolfram agreed.

Yuuri glared at him, but long ago he learned that it was useless to say anything, so he just kept silent, wondering if Wolfram would shut up with that “wimp” comment once and for all if he were able to make such a scary face like Gwendal’s. 

The quick steps in the corridor tore through the silence that had settled between the two. 

“Your Highness,” the guard held out the box for Wolfram.

“Thanks,” Wolfram nodded, taking the box. He shut the screeching door and locked it again. He walked over to Yuuri who shifted to the edge of the bed. Wolfram held out the box for him while laughably smiling.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Yuuri sneered at Wolfram’s smirk. “I know what to do with it.” But after opening the wooden box he realized that he didn’t. “What the hell is this?!” startled, he looked at the varicolored bottles. It was nothing like he was used to seeing. “Where are the peroxide and the iodine…?” he blinked at the contents of the box again.

Wolfram suppressed a chuckle. “I have no idea what you are talking about… But if you are looking for disinfectants,” he leaned over the box, pointing at one bottle that was filled with green liquid, “this is the one Gisela uses to disinfect the wounds.”

“Are you sure?” Yuuri faltered. “It’s green. Why is it green?”

“Oh, c’mon, do it and let’s go to sleep!” Wolfram bristled at the delay. He plopped down next to Yuuri, the bed bouncing and then subsiding under Wolfram’s weight.

“Fine, but don’t complain later if you turn into a frog,” Yuuri took the bottle, unsure.

“Well, then all it would take is just a kiss, right?” Wolfram snorted, reaching his hand towards Yuuri.

Yuuri frowned at the bottle while trying to open it. It wasn’t funny. How come Wolfram knew that fairy-tale…? At least Wolfram wasn’t rubbing his nose in it anymore.

Finally Yuuri uncapped the bottle. He smelled the liquid. It had no smell. “Do I just pour it on the wound?” he wondered.

“I think I’d have done it five times already…” Wolfram snickered. “Yeah, you pour it. Ah, dammit!” he yelped and jerked his hand out of Yuuri’s grasp as the liquid burnt the wound unexpectedly. “You could have warned me!” he held his hand up again and braced himself for more pain.

“It’s to shut you up!” Yuuri glared. “You do realize I’m seeing this thing for the first time? Be a bit more patient!”

Wolfram glared back at him but didn’t say anything. Instead he concentrated on gritting his teeth in pain.

“Well, it seems it has reached everywhere,” Yuuri inspected the bite then corked the bottle. He put it back into the box and took the bandages from it.

Wolfram watched Yuuri’s hands wrap the bandages expertly, Yuuri’s wrapping was careful yet firm. It was quite surprising. “Where did you learn that?” he asked.

“Playing baseball is not as harmless as it might appear… Bruised knees, hands and such…” Yuuri said, being unaware of Wolfram’s admiring gaze on his handiwork. “Does it hurt? Is it not too firm?”

Wolfram shook his head in denial. “It’s okay. Did I kick you again?” he asked after several seconds of silence.

Yuuri felt a faint blush coming back to his face. What was he supposed to say? – That he woke up and was pissed to find Wolfram fucking the mattress with his name on his lips? “You talked in your sleep,” Yuuri said, not raising his eyes to Wolfram’s face.

“Oh.”

Yuuri tore into the bandage to make the ties to tie the bandage around Wolfram’s hand. After that he extended his palm over Wolfram’s hand to spread the healing majutsu. After a minute, Yuuri assessed his final touch contently. There, finished. 

Yuuri raised his head. He found Wolfram looking at him. No, not really. The gaze was… Wolfram was staring at his lips, Wolfram’s look indescribable…like he would be lost somewhere. Wolfram was staring like he wanted…

When Wolfram leaned in to kiss him, Yuuri recoiled instantly. Wolfram grunted in pain as Yuuri’s hand caught on his bandaged one.

“Sorry,” they both apologized at once.

Wolfram muttered something under his breath, crawled to his side of the bed and slid under the covers, turning his back to Yuuri. Yuuri sighed. He closed the box with the medicine and lowered it to the side of the bed, pushing it farther, so as not to trip over it in the morning. After Yuuri had snuck under his cover, Wolfram extinguished the lights.

An uncomfortable silence stretched, stretched and stretched until the charged air in the room started snapping and hissing.

“Do you still want to go for a ride?” Yuuri asked, wanting to kick himself for asking that in first place.

“Yes.”

“Okay. Then today after I finish my paperwork and stuff.”

“Fine.”

It was just one word but held much emotion in it, and Yuuri felt both delighted and oppressed. 

XXXXX

Yuuri sucked on his spork absentmindedly. He was oblivious to Wolfram’s eyes that were locked on his lips and threatening to pop out from the intent staring. Yuuri’s eyes were fixed on the three maids who were standing next to the wall. He was musing again. He had tried to figure out the maids more than once, actually not only the maids but the whole female residents of the castle. He didn’t really know much about women. He had hardly even kissed a girl, after all (“hardly” because it happened when he was four years old – he ran to the girl he liked, pressed his lips to hers and ran away. It had happened in kindergarten, and he wouldn’t remember this if not for his mother constantly reminding him about it…). 

It was hard to tell, but despite the maids’ exclusive obsession with Wolfram, they seemed to be obsessed with each other, too. And Yuuri couldn’t get rid of that strange feeling when near them. True, any man dreamed of sleeping with two lesbians, but hell… three of the kind…three vigorous nonstop babbling gossips… Not every man would subscribe to this…

Annissina? Despite Yuuri hardly having any experience with women (his manly ego liked to think that he had at least some), he decided that Annissina was quite easy to figure out. – She was a dominant lesbian who had the herd of the female population of the castle in her dominion.

Ex Maou…well that one was interesting. Cecile von Spitzberg had a very weird obsession of hugging and fondling her sons, which swayed in the direction of incest. But nonetheless, she was the only person whom Yuuri decided to be heterosexual.

Why the hell was he thinking about such things? Confused, Yuuri sucked on his spork harder. What the hell was wrong with him lately? All his thoughts seemed to go in one and the same direction. Maybe it was the unbearable heat? He couldn’t wait for the season to end.

By the time Yuuri’s tongue polished the spork in a way it had never been polished before, Wolfram was panting, the heat in the room and in his trousers seemingly increased by ten degrees. When Yuuri raised his head, Wolfram closed his mouth quickly and lowered his eyes back to his plate.

“I was thinking about going away for awhile,” Yuuri announced for the table.

Gwendal gave Conrad an inquiring look. Conrad looked as lost as Gwendal was.

“When?” Gunter asked in a surprised voice. 

“Probably after the birthday party. At first I’ll go home, and then I’ll see. Either I’ll stay there for awhile or I’ll come back here and go somewhere.”

“Go somewhere…?” Conrad drawled, not quite grasping. “Like camping or…?”

“No, like traveling,” Yuuri corrected him.

“I don’t think it’s wise. Your Majesty doesn’t know much about traveling… And it might be dangerous…” Conrad tried to talk Yuuri out of it.

“And I think it’s a wonderful idea!” Gunter chirped. “I can already see His Majesty affiliating with his people… Learning their ways…”

Conrad kicked Gunter’s leg under the table. “And nonetheless, this is not wise.”

“I can hardly imagine that His Majesty could more affiliate than he is already affiliating…” Gwendal mumbled, supporting his brother.

“But it’s such a nice wish! To see how the folk lives!”

“I’m not taking you with me,” Yuuri informed Gunter. “I’m not taking anyone. Well, maybe Yozak; just to be on the safer side. But I’m not even sure if I’ll go.”

It took only a second for Gunter to change his mind. “Conrad and Gwendal are right - it’s dangerous, Your Majesty!”

Then somehow everyone at once realized that Wolfram was silent. All heads turned to him.

“What?” Wolfram scrunched his pointy nose.

“He’s not taking you and is going away with Yozak. There will be plenty of pretty girls and guys,” Gunter said, expecting that now Wolfram would explode for sure and would smash his fiancé down to the ground both literally and figuratively. If something could affect Yuuri, it was Wolfram’s screeching.

“So what?” Wolfram reached for his glass. “Like I care what the wimp is doing,” he sipped the wine.

Gunter gasped and dropped his spork in surprise. “Wolfram…are you ill?” his eyes scanned Wolfram with a worried shimmer in them.

“Let the guy enjoy himself for awhile,” Wolfram snorted. He noticed Yuuri cast him quite a surprised look and he pretended to be immensely interested in the design of his wineglass. Why the hell was Yuuri so surprised? – He himself suggested that to Yuuri, and Yuuri had promised, hadn’t he?

“Wolfram, see Gisela after breakfast, will you?” Gwendal said.

Wolfram rolled his eyes at his glass. “Whatever. Although, I’m completely fine,” he added. It was the heat, he decided. It was the heat which was making him willingly loose the reins.

TBC


	3. Part 3

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 3

“Well, it seems that everything is fine,” Gisela said after she had finished examining Wolfram. She straightened and went to sit at her desk to take down some notes concerning Wolfram’s health.

Of course he was alright. Wolfram flung his shirt back on and started buttoning it. He walked over to take a peek over Gisela’s shoulder at her writing. As usual, a doctor’s writing was impossible to read. Wolfram snickered inwardly.

“His Majesty did a great job bandaging it,” Gisela motioned at Wolfram’s right hand with her head. She had inspected it and changed the bandages; the bite was successfully healing. 

“Yeah, he surprised me…” Wolfram admitted. He finished buttoning his shirt then tied up his ascot and fastened the sword at his side. 

It had been so different than Gisela’s touch… It had been very pleasant to feel Yuuri’s careful hands on him, to have all that concern directed at him - he had felt warm and fuzzy all over. It made him feel so…made him crave more of that touch…and maybe that had been mistake… He knew that Yuuri himself didn’t hold much meaning in it - Yuuri was only doing what he thought was right.

Being near Yuuri made Wolfram’s heart flutter and his breath hitch. He hated himself for this annoying weakness. It would have been no big deal, but as Yuuri wasn’t answering his attentions it made Wolfram upset and snappish, his shouts and glares covering up for his displeasure of the real thing.

Wolfram cast a last glance at Gisela’s writings, then left the medical ward and went to the stables to see how his horse was doing.

XXXXX

Yuuri wiped sweat off his forehead. He took a break from reading and signing documents. Gunter had wanted to use his break for teaching him, but Yuuri protested harshly by telling him that a lesson was by no means a break. So now he was standing outside, on a balcony on the ground floor of the castle and watching the men gentling and training the horses in the courtyard.

It was unbearably hot again. Yuuri was hiding in the shadow of one of the columns, but it wasn’t helping much. It seemed that the scorching rays managed to get around it to their prey. It was killing him. Yuuri leaned against the parapet, sighing. Despite how he had been reluctant earlier, now he was already looking forward to the ride with Wolfram; Wolfram had said he knew of a lake near the castle.

“Your Majesty,” Conrad held out a glass of water for a startled Yuuri.

“It’s “Yuuri”, Conrad,” Yuuri replayed automatically. “Thanks,” grateful, he took the glass; Conrad somehow always managed to guess what he wanted. Yuuri pressed the cool glass to his lips and gulped the equally cool water down. 

“I really hate this season,” Yuuri complained after emptying the glass. He put the glass onto the parapet. He felt a bit relieved, the turmoil in his body and heart subdued by the cool water.

“It’s not the worst,” Conrad gave Yuuri a compassionate smile. “The worst are the storms that come with it. One minute the sun is sizzling and the next you can’t tell the earth from the sky…”

“Gunter seems to love it…” Yuuri shook his head, not comprehending.

“He comes from a different part of Shin Makoku where such weather is common,” Conrad explained. “I suppose that now he feels at home…” Conrad’s eyes concentrated on Wolfram as he rode his horse out into the courtyard to exercise him a bit. Wolfram was fond of his white pedigree horse and took good care of him.

Conrad noticed most of the men stop what they were doing to simply admire Wolfram. Wolfram was something to look at, and the blonde looked even better on his white horse. 

Wolfram rode to one of his men to exchange several words with him. After that Wolfram urged his horse forward and started to circle the yard in a quick foots pace then progressed into a quicker ride. 

“Wolfram! Hey, Wolfram!” Yuuri waved his hand when Wolfram was nearing the balcony. 

Wolfram’s head turned to the balcony, and he nudged his horse towards it. 

“Taking a break, I see…” Wolfram asked after his horse had trotted to the balcony. He drew in the reins.

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. How is your hand?” he looked at Wolfram’s right hand which was resting on Wolfram’s thigh. 

Wolfram looked at his hand then flexed it. He flinched. “Hurts a bit, but it’s nothing. Gisela said that you tended the bite like a real professional,” he let himself compliment Yuuri. He chuckled as a pleased look appeared on Yuuri’s face. He was pleased that Yuuri was pleased.

“Will you exercise His Majesty’s horse or will you leave it to me?” Conrad asked. He had heard the story of Morgif biting Wolfram at the breakfast table.

Wolfram shrugged. “Well, as I am already at it…” he patted his horse on the neck then stroked his mane. Content with the attention, the horse started swinging his head.

“Fine, then,” Conrad nodded. “I’ll go start preparations for your small outing this evening.”

“Preparations?” Wolfram gave his brother a questioning look. “Actually I thought that I’d take some of my bodyguards and that would be it.”

“Mmm… It would be nice to have something like a picnic, with a coverlet on the grass and food, ne, Wolfram?” Yuuri looked at Wolfram.

“Well…it sounds like fun…” Wolfram brushed his golden bangs off his eyes. He wasn’t exactly sure what Yuuri meant by a “picnic”. At least as far as he could see by Yuuri’s tone, it didn’t sound dangerous.

“About the guards,” Conrad came back to the question. “I think it’s okay to take your bodyguards, but also take several non-magic users just to be on the safe side,” he told Wolfram.

Wolfram nodded. “Yes, I will.”

Yuuri took his empty glass and straightened up. He sighed, “I suppose I have to come back to Gunter or he’ll come running after me…”

Wolfram graced Yuuri with a soft chuckle and urged his horse forwards into the yard to finish the circle. Conrad gave Wolfram’s retreating back last glance and went after Yuuri.

Even though Wolfram rarely noticed the stares directed at him, or didn’t pay attention to them, Conrad could perfectly read the randy looks some men were giving his little brother. They stared at Wolfram’s face, backside, thighs…gods, they ate Wolfram alive. It infuriated him to know those men thought of Wolfram panting and moaning underneath them. He hated that - Wolfram was his younger brother and not an object of someone’s perverted thoughts!

Suppressing his displeasure, Conrad caught up with Yuuri. “It seems you two are in much better mood today…”

“Umm…Yeah,” Yuuri nodded, agreeing. He rubbed his chin, thinking. He thought that maybe the anticipation of going away for awhile was making him more pacific, and Wolfram seemed also to have stopped bristling. Or maybe it was because the sun had already scorched their brain and left no brain cells to be discontent with something that didn’t go as they wished.

Conrad had wanted to talk with Yuuri about him and Wolfram, but after having witnessed that quite nice exchange between Yuuri and Wolfram, decided that there was no need to bring the subject up. Wolfram had recently been spaced out, and Yuuri snappish, which was an unusual behavior for both of them, but it seemed that the weird tension between the two had resolved. He hoped that it would stay that way. More than those randy looks at his brother, Conrad hated seeing hurt and sadness in Wolfram’s eyes.

Conrad was also bothered by Yuuri’s wish to spend some time away from the castle, and Wolfram’s missing reaction to it. He wasn’t sure what to think of that. Was Wolfram letting go of Yuuri? Was it possible at all? But he thought that it would be much better than Wolfram chasing Yuuri fruitlessly. It might hurt Wolfram greatly but it was better than that uncertainty and constant spurn Wolfram went through each day. Time healed all wounds after all, didn’t it?

“When is your brother coming exactly?” Conrad asked while they were climbing up the stairs to the first floor.

“Sometime in the evening. I’m not very sure. I think we’ll already be back from the picnic by that time. Well, if we aren’t, then you’ll occupy him,” Yuuri shrugged. “As far as I saw, you get along.”

Conrad didn’t say anything to that only nodded. “I’ll see you before you leave, Your Majesty,” he said after they reached the door to Yuuri’s new study.

“It’s “Yuuri”. Yeah, see you,” he waved before opening the door to reveal a scowling Gunter who burst into a smile immediately after seeing Yuuri.

XXXXX

Yuuri almost ran downstairs to the ground floor after he was done with his work. He found Wolfram in one of the halls talking with one of his personal guards. After seeing the king, Wolfram ordered him to fetch the rest of the men and walked over to Yuuri.

“I thought you’d never finish,” he complained.

“Me too,” Yuuri heaved a sigh, brushing a hand over his forehead to wipe nonexistent sweat to emphasize his words. “Are we ready?”

Wolfram nodded. “Yes, I took some food and drinks and also several guards Conrad had picked out. It’s more than half an hour of riding. You should have a snack before we leave…”

“I probably should,” Yuuri nodded, despite his words already walking towards the door, “but I’m afraid that while I’d be eating, Gunter might come up with some ideas of more work for me.”

Wolfram smiled and followed Yuuri outside. The men were already there, prepared for departure. There were four soldiers who wore Wolfram’s colors and three with khaki colored uniforms. Wolfram and Yuuri went to the waiting horses and saddled them. 

When they were behind the gate, Wolfram nudged his horse closer to Yuuri’s. “Here,” he held out a small bundle for Yuuri. “As I somehow knew what you’d say, I asked one of the maids to make several sandwiches,” he chuckled.

The smell of food reached Yuuri’s nose, and he felt his mouth watering. The king grabbed the bundle quickly, starting to unwrap it already. He thanked Wolfram and dug in immediately.

Wolfram continued to ride close to Yuuri.

“Why so many guards?” Yuuri mouthed around the bread and sausage. “Three at the front, one at each side and two behind us. It’s not a picnic – it’s a military raid…”

“How I hate when you are lamenting like that!” Wolfram glared at him. “You are the king of the country! What do you think we would do if you are killed?! Stop complaining, you wimp!”

Yuuri chewed on his sandwich, pouting. Of course, Wolfram was right, but it didn’t make it any better. How was he supposed to relax with all these soldiers around him?

The weather wasn’t as hot as it had been during the day, and Yuuri was able to breathe more freely. They were riding along a byroad through a forest. The shadows of the trees drew longer and the air grew a bit cooler as they went deeper. But Yuuri could still feel sweat running down his back, the shirt clinging to his back. The forest was affected by the heat too, the dried moss withering and crumbling under the hooves.

After a bit more than half an hour a clearing suddenly sprung out before them. Yuuri stopped his horse to admire the view: the lake was beneath them, downhill, surrounded by the forest, and one could see almost all of it. The shiny lake was enclosed by sharp slopes, only several convenient places left to approach it. The clear water looked very tempting, and Yuuri wasted no time in urging his horse down the hill.

“It’s really beautiful, Wolfram!” Yuuri shouted. 

“Of course! I wouldn’t have brought you otherwise!” Wolfram shouted back.

They stopped at the very shore, Yuuri sliding quickly off the horse and running to the lake while peeling his wet shirt off his back then kicking his boots off.

“C’mon, Wolfram!” Yuuri was jumping on one foot while trying to get rid of his trousers. “Banzai!” he roared, launching at the lake headlong.

Wolfram watched the whole ordeal with a soft smile on his lips then ordered to set the cover onto the grass and distribute the food then he started undressing himself. 

Yuuri splashed about in the water, enjoying the coolness he had wished for so long. He turned around to urge Wolfram into the lake. His brow rose at the weird scene that met him: Wolfram was already bare-chested and was taking his trousers off, and their entire escort, except the two who were busying themselves with the tablecloth and the food, were gawking at him. Actually at his backside, because now Wolfram bent down to take his trousers from the grass.

“Hey, you lot!” Yuuri shouted. “Make a fire or something!”

Wolfram raised his head at Yuuri. “Are you crazy?” he folded his trousers and laid them near the tablecloth. “A fire in this drought? You want to burn the entire forest down?!”

Goddamn, Yuuri thought, I’m driving the perverts away from you, and all you can do is to shout at me! “Fine, no fire,” he shouted to the shore. “But get into the water!” 

“What’s the rush?” Wolfram muttered, shaking his head. He walked over to the shore and waded into the water. He could understand why Yuuri was so excited – the water was perfect. It had enough time during this hot week to warm up and was not too cold but not too warm either, it was so much nicer to swim in the lake than in the baths.

“Yuuri!” Wolfram spluttered as Yuuri splashed a huge wave on him. “Stop that!” he shouted as Yuuri splashed him again. Wolfram brushed his wet hair away from his face and was in time to see Yuuri launching another wave at him. The wave hit Wolfram directly in the face. “That’s it!” Wolfram snarled.

After several seconds Yuuri was coughing and trying to catch his breath while Wolfram was repeatedly dunking him into the water. Yuuri tried to wrestle out from Wolfram’s grasp but was only reminded that Wolfram was stronger than he looked. But Wolfram still had his hand bandaged and was careful not to hurt it, which gave Yuuri much more chances in winning.

“I hope you won’t get sucked back into your world… You had better not…” Wolfram muttered, dunking Yuuri’s head again. He yelped as Yuuri finally managed to throw him off. 

They jostled and scrambled for awhile until their energy ran out, leaving both boys panting and tired.

“Gods, I’m tired. And all wrinkled up,” Wolfram said. He pushed Yuuri into the water for the last time and started wading to the shore. 

“And hungry,” added Yuuri, following Wolfram to the shore. He gave a meaningful look to one of Wolfram’s bodyguards who ran to Wolfram with a towel and started drying him very thoroughly, his hands all over Wolfram. For gods’ sake, Wolfram wasn’t a baby! Yuuri was content to notice that the bodyguard paled and scurried away.

He didn’t know if it had always been like this, but it meant nothing good when the subordinates were openly lusting after the king’s fiancé. The ignorance of the fact showed that they didn’t respect their king. And if these soldiers behaved themselves like this, it meant it was the same everywhere.

Yuuri took a towel that was handed to him by one of Conrad’s selected guards and went to the tablecloth where the food was ready. 

With a huff, Wolfram plopped onto the coverlet next to Yuuri. The prince tossed the towel to one of his guards then turned back to the food. Yuuri thanked for the food, grabbed a roasted chicken wing, waved it at Wolfram, indicating to dig in, and started eating.

“Mmm! It’s so good!” Yuuri hummed around the bone. Forgetting about everything for several minutes, he worked on filling his stomach.

Wolfram reached for the flask with wine and filled two cups. He held out one for Yuuri. He noticed Yuuri’s gaze settle on the guards who were flocking a bit farther, watching them.

“What? Want to share with them?” Wolfram asked. He knew Yuuri well enough to know he felt uncomfortable about eating when others didn’t.

Yuuri shook his head in denial. He took the cup Wolfram had offered. Already some time ago he had decided that if even Wolfram drank it, nothing would happen to him either. “They didn’t really earn that today. Except those two of yours,” he pointed at first at the first man then at the second. He sipped his wine. The wine was good, half-sweet and refreshing.

Wolfram blinked at Yuuri, surprised. “Yuuri…lately you’ve started behaving strange… And how have those two earned your benevolence?” he asked, interested.

“Wolfram, are you aware that half of the castle guards gape at your ass all the time?”

Wolfram choked on his wine. After coughing and getting it down, he looked at Yuuri. “Yes, I’m perfectly aware, thank you very much. So what? Does it bother you?”

“Not really,” Yuuri shook his head. “But it kinda discredits my position as king.”

Wolfram glared at him. “So you are okay with the fact that they are ogling my ass, but you are worried about your position… Good fiancé are you! Wimp!” He was hurt. But it was already a norm. The hurt he felt had turned into a norm long ago. He knew one couldn’t be jealous of something he didn’t want in the first place.

Yuuri raised his hand. “Don’t start…” he groaned.

“And how exactly do you intend to stop people from staring at me?” Wolfram snorted, sipping his wine to try to wash the bitterness he felt away. 

Yuuri was right, even if it hurt, he could understand him, and he didn’t like those gaping faces either - it was more disturbing than pleasant, those intent stares. But what was he supposed to do? – To shout and punch everyone’s face of those who stared at him? And there were not only the men under his dominion… He had tried to deal with the problem several years ago and it had been a total fiasco – after that he had heard staff rumors that for the time being he had been christened a hard-to-get princess. Nobody stared at him while he could see them anymore, but he knew perfectly that they did, and it was working on his nerves. Struggling had only made it worse.

Yuuri sighed. “They will stare further, of course - I am aware of your looks - but not as blatantly.”

Wolfram put his cup down onto the cover. “Yuuri, what the hell is going on with you? You started worrying me…” he looked at Yuuri with a concerned look on his face.

Yuuri’s forehead furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“The whole year that I have known you, you have never thought about such things. Well…if you did, you never expressed your thoughts… And now…it’s…I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing…probably the opposite, but it’s a bit scary, this change,” Wolfram’s emerald eyes met the dark ones.

Yuuri ruffled through his hair, thoughtfully. “You know, you are right. I have been wondering myself… Lately I feel…” he faltered. “I don’t even know what I feel. It’s just strange. I catch myself thinking various things I know normally I wouldn’t think of…”

Wolfram listened to him intently then rubbed his forehead. “Maybe it’s because of your sixteenth birthday? It’s some of sort turning point in a Mazoku’s life…”

Yuuri looked at him, interested. “You think so?” He felt a bit relieved.

Wolfram shrugged. “I’m just guessing…” With a huff, he fell with his back down onto the cover and folded his arms behind his head.

“Hmm…” Yuuri rolled on his stomach and put his hands under his chin. He reached for cream puffs and stuck one into his mouth. “Gunter emaciated me today…” he complained around the puff. “Your Majesty this, Your Majesty that…” he rolled his eyes.

“You weren’t that emaciated when you tried to drown me,” Wolfram snorted. 

Yuuri argued that he didn’t mean it that way. He reached for another cream puff. Gods, they were melting in his mouth!

“Maybe that’s it…” Wolfram thought. “Maybe you are simply too tired. Well, then your oncoming trip is a really good idea.”

“Probably,” Yuuri yawned. “Ah…so good.” He closed his eyes, enjoying the soft breeze and whispering grass and forest around him. He felt so relaxed, like he had only felt long ago. “We should go out like this more often...” he sighed contently.

Wolfram didn’t say anything just nodded, his nod unseen to Yuuri who had his eyes closed. “Why do you want to leave the castle? What’s the real reason?” he asked.

“Well, yeah, partly because I am tired, but it’s more… I want to find my path…” Yuuri said.

“A what?” Wolfram blinked at the darkened sky.

“I need to think about many things. Our engagement included,” he said, not looking at Wolfram.

Wolfram was silent for some time then nodded. “I see…” he drawled.

“Listen,” Yuuri sat up suddenly, “let’s not spoil such a nice evening with these talks, ne?”

Wolfram scowled but swallowed the bitterness down. They ate some more then simply laid back and enjoyed the surroundings.

“You shouldn’t stay that long in the sun,” Yuuri warned Wolfram. “Your skin is pretty fair.”

“It’s fine,” Wolfram yawned, too lazy to move. “The sun has almost set.”

It happened in a flash: one moment they were lying and enjoying the sun, the next yelping, grabbing their clothes and running under the nearest tree to hide from the sudden rain.

Yuuri flung his shirt on. The rain was pelting down, the leaves of the tree they were under hardly protecting them, as they squeezed further, to the very stem of it.

“You should take it off,” Wolfram motioned at Yuuri’s shirt. “It’s not cold and you’ll need it dry later. The rain should stop soon.”

Yuuri looked at Wolfram who was still bare-chested, his uniform wrapped up in his hands, pressed against him to keep it from getting wet. Wolfram was wearing his boots. Yuuri looked at his bare feet basking in the dirty streamlet that was running down the hill. He looked at the boots next to him and saw droplets falling into them. Then he looked back at Wolfram. The blondes were by no means stupid. Yuuri put his boots on then undressed his shirt and folded it.

Yuuri looked farther, where their guards were hunching under other trees. He was hardly able to see them because of flogging rain filling the space, the air around them white. Conrad had been right – had he not been standing on the earth, he could hardly tell the difference between the sky and ground. 

“You control water, can’t you do something?” Wolfram muttered after twenty minutes of rain. The two of them were drenched and shivering.

“You control fire, can’t you warm us up?” Yuuri snapped.

“Oh, I can warm you up, but I doubt you’d like the way…” Wolfram countered, giving Yuuri an annoyed look. 

Yuuri flushed red. “Your modesty impresses me…” he muttered. He wanted to shift away when Wolfram pressed to him, but feeling how cold Wolfram was, let him have his way, telling himself it will be just this once. “This is by no means warming me up. You are as cold as a piece of ice!” Yuuri shivered.

Wolfram snickered again, but because of his chattering teeth it was closer to a bark. “I’m cold!” he declared as if that hadn’t been obvious.

Yuuri looked at the shivering Wolfram. “Shall we go back then?”

Wolfram shook his head and pressed to Yuuri’s side firmer. “We can’t see two meters ahead us. Are you eager to break your neck?”

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “Fine. Whatever. So, we’ll just wait until it stops.”

They waited for fifteen minutes more.

“Wolfram?” Yuuri said through chattering teeth. “Despite that you are almost blue, you are also red. I think you got a sunburn.”

“I feel that,” Wolfram muttered. “It feels like I’m frying. But at least it’s not as cold anymore…”

The rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun, and the sky cleared in several minutes. Yuuri and Wolfram left their shelter and joined their guards. Despite that they were trying to keep their clothes dry, they got wet anyway. Wolfram had taken a spare set of clothes for the two of them, but everything that was in the bags attached to the horses also got soaked through. 

“Why can’t I ride as I am?” Yuuri complained, trying to put his wet shirt back on, which was not so easy to do – the wet fabric stuck to his skin. Not to mention that it was very unpleasant.

“The king can’t be riding half naked!” Wolfram said. He started putting his clothes on, too. After he was done, he closed his eyes. 

Openmouthed, Yuuri stared at Wolfram who suddenly burst into flames. Yuuri panicked for a moment but Wolfram wasn’t screaming and it didn’t seem that it was hurting him any. When Wolfram’s emerald eyes opened, his clothes were dry. He brushed over his dry hair, trying to set it in order.

“Why didn’t you dry your clothes earlier?” Yuuri wondered.

“I would have burned them. This works only this way – fire doesn’t hurt me, so when clothes are on me, they don’t burn,” Wolfram explained.

“Got it,” Yuuri started undressing again.

“What are you doing?” Wolfram blinked at him. He looked at the shirt Yuuri held out for him.

“Be so kind, put it on and dry it for me?” Yuuri grinned.

Wolfram sighed and started undressing. He had no illusions of Yuuri asking to dry his underwear for him. Though, it would have been nice illusions.

XXXXX

Wolfram was wincing the entire time while Gisela was rubbing the healing balm into his skin. He was angrily glaring at the wall opposite him: it was not enough that it was hot as hell and Yuuri suddenly had the divine afflatus to go roam around among the peasants…no, the damn perverted sword had to bite him and then he had to get a sunburn and get drenched. Not to mention Yuuri said he didn’t mind people staring at his ass. And at the top of it all, he didn’t manage to talk Yuuri into taking care of his sunburned skin instead of Gisela. The bastard just looked at him, gave a careful smile and fast, oh how fast, he shot through the door yelling that he’d get Gisela or Conrad for him.

Wolfram snarled at the wall. He wasn’t the one to give up easily, but this was overcoming his expectations. Yuuri was like a damn maid locked up in the highest castle on the highest mountain. Where was the damned key?! It was exhausting Wolfram. Yuuri didn’t respond to anything he did, and he was slowly but steadily losing hope. 

Wolfram sighed, closing his eyes. Yuuri said he had to think about their engagement, too. He was dreading that. Deep down he knew what Yuuri would decide. It was no secret. And it didn’t matter how much he struggled, in the end it was Yuuri who would say the final word.

When they had reached the castle after their “picnic”, it appeared that Shori was already there. They had found Shori with Conrad and Gunter talking about the gifts that were sent to Yuuri from all over the kingdom and the allied countries and huge preparations that were still waiting for tomorrow. Yuuri got Gisela for Wolfram and joined the trio.

After Gisela was finished, Wolfram felt a little better. After that she took the soaked bandages off his hand and wrapped new ones. Wolfram thanked her and put his clothes on, then left the room to look for Yuuri and Shori.

Wolfram went to Yuuri’s current workroom but found no one there. He decided that they might be at Gwendal’s chambers.

Some parts of the castle were already decorated for tomorrow’s celebration, the colorful and loud garlands and banners wrapped around the columns and hanging in the halls and corridors. There were birthday greetings and wishes for the king. Passing the decorations, Wolfram wondered what changes would come after Yuuri’s birthday. He felt that he wouldn’t like them.

TBC


	4. Part 4

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 4

The evening found five men standing in the balcony that led from Gunter’s chambers. The men admired the view bellow them, the whole city seen like it was put on someone’s palm. It was quiet, the sky already dark, the candles and torches breaking through the darkness. The breeze ruffled their hair and brought the smell of recent rain.

Conrad closed his eyes and inhaled a lungful. He loved these calm evenings. They had all worked hard and risked their lives to achieve this peace. 

Conrad turned to Yuuri who stood a bit farther and was talking with Shori. He noticed a glass of wine in Yuuri’s hand. Lately that glass rested in Yuuri’s hand more frequently than Conrad would have liked. 

Conrad waited until they seemed to finish their conversation, then walked over. “So how was the trip, Your Majesty?” he asked. 

“It’s “Yuuri”,” Yuuri sighed. “Well, except getting soaked through and Wolfram getting sunburnt, it was great.”

Conrad sighed. It was always like this with Wolfram. Wolfram was fair-skinned and had to avoid direct sun. Despite this, Wolfram didn’t feel the measure or simply forgot and usually ended up all red like a boiled crayfish.

“I’m glad you two had fun,” Conrad nodded. He knew that despite getting sunburnt, Wolfram must have liked spending his time with Yuuri. He usually did, despite getting his wings chipped and burned, after all.

“I’m sorry I didn’t see His Majesty out as I had promised,” he apologized after Shori, Gwendal and Gunter went back into the room to refill their glasses and left them alone.

Yuuri nodded – before they went to the lake, Wolfram had explained to him that the watch had reported a band of thieves terrorizing a village farther in the east, and that Conrad had gone to deal with the matter. After asking Conrad about the incident, Yuuri got to know that one of Conrad’s men was killed while they tried to arrest the band. Yuuri didn’t need to ask what happened to the band after that. He presumed that after seeing their comrade die, the soldiers had killed them all. This was the justice how people understood it here. He had seen it not once. Conrad probably didn’t give an order, but he didn’t try to stop them either.

Conrad watched Yuuri’s darkened face. He suspected what Yuuri was thinking about. Yuuri had his opinion on this matter. He was surprised when Yuuri’s following words had nothing to do with the current topic.

“Why was I allowed to be engaged to Wolfram at all?” Yuuri asked.

“What do you mean? You slapped him on his left cheek…” Conrad looked at him, confused.

Yuuri shook his head. “Not that. I mean a successor to the throne. Two males are quite a hinder to that,” he put his two index fingers together then drew them back and repeated the gesture.

Conrad broke into a sweat. He fought to keep himself from blushing. He couldn’t believe that Yuuri was thinking of that and less that he was illustrating that. Conrad ruffled through his hair nervously. “Well, as the soul is being transferred into a random newborn, there’s no necessity in you having an heir… And if something happened, we have Cecilie, Gwendal and Gunter… I believe His Majesty Himself set his signature giving them the right to overtake the throne at any critical moment…” 

Yuuri scratched his head. “Yeah, I suppose…”

“Yuuri, are you looking for an excuse to break the engagement with Wolfram?” Conrad asked.

The tone and the fact that Conrad used his given name, made Yuuri feel even worse. He faltered before answering, then nodded. He leaned on the parapet and sighed, “You know, when Elisabeth came I was uplifted. I thought everything would solve itself: Wolfram would finally be happy, and I would be able to breathe more freely.

“And I couldn’t believe he chose me over her,” he shook his head in disbelief. “I thought: For gods’ sake, how dense can one be?! How dense can one be to prefer me to that hot chick? Prefer me who cannot answer his feelings?” he threw his hands.

“I like Wolfram very much. He’s passionate about everything he does, he’s smart, strong, loyal… But he’s a boy,” Yuuri looked at Conrad with an almost pleading look on his face.

Conrad looked back at him for some time then sighed. “You are thinking a lot about it lately, aren’t you?” he leaned on the parapet next to Yuuri. Conrad’s fingers tapped on the stone nervously. “Maybe… Wolfram is not only a boy… First of all he’s a person… If you only tried…”

Yuuri raised his hand, shaking his head. “Conrad, forgive me that I’ll be THAT blunt but…he has a dick!”

Conrad stared at him.

“I at least know how to use it!” Wolfram snickered, entering the balcony. He stood there his arms crossed.

Yuuri startled. His hands traveled quickly to his mouth, trying to shove the words back. He begged whatever was there up in the sky that Wolfram wouldn’t have heard all of it. Even if Wolfram didn’t show it, Yuuri knew that it had hurt him. He knew that each time he refused Wolfram, he was tearing Wolfram up. And he was sick of that feeling, of that guilt and of Wolfram’s gritted teeth in silence. Wolfram was covering that up, but he would be blind if he didn’t see the pain in Wolfram’s eyes.

Conrad shifted uncomfortably, thinking frantically what to do to cover this up. Without a further word, Wolfram walked over to them and leaned on the parapet next to Conrad, leaving him as a shield between himself and Yuuri who was still silent, his guilty eyes set on the floor in front of him. 

The three of them stood in complete silence. Conrad wondered why Wolfram had chosen to approach them and show that he had heard Yuuri talking. Usually Wolfram either ignored Yuuri’s indifference to him or simply pretended and deluded himself that it was something else than indifference and Yuuri himself didn’t understand what he felt. 

Nobody dared break the silence, and it stopped only when Gunter, Shori and Gwendal came back. Yuuri and Conrad joined their conversation about two new countries that had recently joined Shin Makoku. It didn’t escape anyone’s attention that the atmosphere seemed to be oppressive and that Wolfram was silent most of the time, only speaking when asked about something. He leaned on the parapet and stared down at the town absentmindedly, his head supported by his hand. 

XXXXX

Yuuri’s gaze settled on Wolfram. He climbed into the bed and sat up next to the blonde who was plucking the threads from his bandages, quite a bunch of them already on the covers the new threads falling softly to join them.

“Wolfram?”

Wolfram started. His fingers faltered with the unnecessary action, and he raised his head. “Huh?”

Yuuri stayed silent. Actually he didn’t know what he wanted to say. Nothing he wanted to say would have made Wolfram feel any better. 

Yuuri scooped the heap of the threads off Wolfram’s lap and threw them onto the cupboard. “I…I don’t really know what to say…” he admitted after turning back to Wolfram. “Whatever you heard… I won’t take my words back. I meant what I said. I neither meant it to sound insulting, nor were those insults… It’s just the truth about how I feel…”

By the time Yuuri finished, Wolfram was picking the threads from his bandages again, his head lowered, his blonde hair covering his face.

“I know,” he said softly.

XXXXX

Yuuri walked down the corridor and into the hall where he was met by enthusiastic cheers and greetings. On his way to the throne, Yuuri observed the filled hall. People came from all over the country, including allied countries. The gathered were all nobility. Yuuri had heard that not all willing were able to get into this hall due to lack of space and security. All guests had been thoroughly searched and had their identity checked. He had never imagined he would become so popular.

While walking over the red carpet, having everyone bow to him, he felt like he was dreaming. He wondered if he would ever get used to the attention, to all this pomposity, to those stolen glances the giggling girls were taking at him. He had been informed that between them there were several princesses from the allied countries. The formal introduction would start later, but he was already curious. Cecilie had said that one of them was a real beauty.

Yuuri could feel coldness wafting from behind him. Wolfram was following him, a bit fallen behind. He knew Wolfram wasn’t happy about it all. And overall Wolfram’s mood had dramatically decreased after overhearing him yesterday.

Yuuri sat down onto the throne, Wolfram drawing up on the right next to Yuuri, overlooking the hall with a bored expression on his face. The guards stationed themselves on the either side of Yuuri.

After an hour of introductions, bows, playing up to him, Yuuri wanted nothing more than to progress to the tables that were along the walls of the hall and were pilled up with various goods. Oh, he had gotten his opportunity to meet those princesses and other noble girls and women, but feeling Wolfram radiate the glacial frost on his right, was quick with greetings and smiles to each of them and motioning to for the next to come.

Finally it was over and the music started playing, indicating the opening of the ball. People started flocking around the tables, taking the plates and filling them with various dishes. Yuuri left his throne, intermingling into the mass and went to the nearest table. Well, intermingling as much as he was able to intermingle with Wolfram, Conrad, and his bodyguards surrounding him. 

After half an hour of nonstop smiling and nodding to all sides to reply the greetings and well wishes, Yuuri thought his neck would get paralyzed, and his face would turn into that of Cheshire cat. He was relieved when finally the dances started and people went to dance. The music was similar to that of classical he used to hear at home. To tell the truth, he had never liked it. He was more interested in rock and pop, and didn’t exactly understand the greatness of a gamut of scraping violins, squeaking flutes and overly aggressive pianos.

Yuuri went back to his throne to admire the dancing pairs. Gunter had taught him the basics of several dances, but he couldn’t really dance anything except the waltz. He was afraid he’d forget steps or mess something else up and make an ass of himself in front of the whole country. It was safer to sit on the throne than to dance.

After watching the dances for twenty minutes Yuuri noticed that Wolfram wasn’t at his side. He looked around more intently and noticed Wolfram standing at one of the tables, with his glass filled. Wolfram was talking with some guy. The boy was a bit older than Wolfram and him, but not much. He seemed to be quite familiar with Wolfram. Yuuri tried to remember if he had ever seen the guy, but then decided that he hadn’t – he would have remembered that quite exceptional dark blue hair that reached to the guy’s waist.

XXXXX

Wolfram was sitting on the balcony, on the ground floor and listening to the music that was wafting through the open windows in the hall on the first floor where people were partying. He was bored out of his mind. He hated parties. And it didn’t make it any better that Kyota Docharo was present. The guy was fun and nice and handsome and such, and he hadn’t seen the guy for a good two years… but he had hoped he’d never see Kyota again. 

Wolfram leaned comfortably on the bench and sipped his drink. He closed his eyes. Despite that he hated the hustle and shouldering in the crowd, he loved the music. The musicians were very good. He thought he could listen through the whole night. And he had also heard that later there were going to perform several well known singers and harpists.

“Did I say that you look fabulous today?”

Wolfram’s eyes opened to see the blue-haired man standing at his side. A thought that he was quite drunk if he hadn’t noticed the other walk over to him, crossed Wolfram’s mind.

“Not yet,” Wolfram muttered, finishing the last drops of his wine. “Thanks.” Wolfram liked how he looked today too: instead of his usual blue uniform Wolfram was wearing a light green shirt and black trousers. The shirt and white friable ascot perfectly accompanied his eyes, and the trousers highlighted his narrow waist and hips. Although, the one for whom he was making the efforts didn’t give a damn about his looks.

“May I?” Kyota sat down at Wolfram’s side before he could have answered. He offered one of the wineglasses he had been carrying to Wolfram. “Bored?” he asked after Wolfram took one.

Wolfram nodded. He brought the glass to his lips to sip. 

“Why aren’t you dancing then?” Kyota leaned down into the bench too. “I remember you are quite a dancer…”

Wolfram shrugged. 

“Maybe our new king doesn’t know how to dance?” Kyota wondered. “It seems like it,” he chuckled after reading Wolfram’s face. “I heard he isn’t good with his sword either…”

“I advise you to restrain yourself from such remarks about our king or I might have to accuse you of treason,” Wolfram muttered, sipping the wine.

“Would you?” Kyota smiled.

“No,” Wolfram leaned his head on the ledge of the bench. Kyota had said the truth anyway.

Kyota waited for Wolfram to add something but the blonde was silent. “But I’ll give him that,” Kyota said. “He has a great taste,” Kyota raised his glass to clink it softly with Wolfram’s. “Snatched the greatest jewel of this kingdom from under my nose…”

“Quit it,” Wolfram scrunched his nose. “Neither am I a jewel, nor has he snatched me…” he scowled at his glass. That accidental slap had been far from snatching…

Kyota’s sapphire eyes slid over Wolfram’s figure that was illuminated by torches. The blonde looked just as stunning as he remembered. Kyota shifted closer and leaned in to bury his nose in Wolfram’s hair just above his neck. He purred at the softness and smell of it.

“He doesn’t love you,” Kyota murmured. “I have seen how you look at him, and how he looks at you. Was the engagement your idea?”

Wolfram shifted away from Kyota. “I don’t think it’s your business.”

“But it is,” Kyota protested. “You know how I feel about you,” he leaned over to Wolfram to press his lips to the blonde’s neck. “I can give you everything, that silly kid can’t…” Kyota breathed, his tongue darting out to taste the pale skin. He felt Wolfram shiver.

“Kyota…” Wolfram pushed the blue-haired man away and stood up. “Quit it.”

Kyota’s hand shot to wrap around Wolfram’s wrist to prevent him from leaving. “Why should I? -You seem to like it,” he tugged Wolfram back to him. The blonde lost his balance and landed in Kyota’s lap, the blue-haired man’s arm instantly wrapping around Wolfram’s waist to keep him there. “Why do you need him? -The fool doesn’t care about you…” his fingers tugged at Wolfram’s shirt then slid through the gap he made by unbuttoning several buttons. He caressed Wolfram’s skin. “Do you like him that much to follow him like a lost puppy?” He held Wolfram down as he struggled. 

“Look who is talking!” Wolfram snorted, trying to look unaffected while those warm fingertips brushed various patterns over his skin. He jerked and bit his lip when one of the wandering digits dipped into his navel.

“True,” Kyota nodded, liking how responsive the blonde was this time. He put his head on the blonde’s shoulder. “But I can make you happy; he isn’t willing to even try.” He pressed his cheek to Wolfram’s. He wondered if it was hot because of Wolfram’s consumed liquid or the blonde was blushing. “Your nights must be lonely, Wolfram… You got worked up pretty fast…” 

“Shut up,” Wolfram glared at the column in front of him. He blinked as the courtyard spun in his eyes and he was suddenly facing Kyota.

“Yes, shut up, Wolfram,” Kyota said before entangling his fingers into the hair at Wolfram’s nape and pressing his lips to the blonde’s. Wolfram stayed unresponsive for several seconds, then opened up. He teased Wolfram’s lips with his tongue before plunging in. Wolfram tasted of wine. Sweet wine. Just like he remembered.

Kyota’s hand slid to Wolfram’s lap, and his excitement grew when the blonde moaned into his mouth. 

They broke the kiss and stared at each other, panting. Kyota leaned to Wolfram’s mouth again, but Wolfram turned his head to the side. He wiggled out from Kyota’s lap.

“That’s enough, Kyota. Taking advantage of a drunken man…” Wolfram shook his head, tsking. He leaned on a parapet, his gaze sliding over the courtyard. There were people walking, but he was sure that nobody would recognize him in this half-light.

Kyota leaned next to Wolfram. “You are too cruel, Wolfram. Showing me what I could have and then refusing to give it…”

And how does Yuuri endure me…? Wolfram wondered, shaking his head. “Stolen kisses don’t work, Kyota,” he sighed. He ruffled through his hair to fix Kyota’s disheveling. “It’s not about Yuuri, you know that. We’ve talked about this many times.”

Kyota glared at the dark courtyard before him. “Why don’t you love me, Wolfram?”

“Probably because of the same reason Yuuri doesn’t love me,” Wolfram shrugged. “It’s just how it is.”

They stood silently, listening to the music wafting from above them then Kyota straightened. “I’ll head back, then. You know I’ll be waiting for you…”

Wolfram raised his head to look at him. “You might wait forever…”

“Yeah…” Kyota nodded, before bowing and walking away. “Conrad,” he greeted the man who appeared from the shadows of columns. “Still looking after your little brother…?”

“Of course…” Conrad nodded, politely. He turned to Wolfram when Kyota disappeared in the doorway. “What the hell have you been thinking, Wolfram?!” he demanded. While watching the two, at one moment, he was sure he would have to intervene. “What if somebody saw you? Do you realize what a scandal that would be?! I didn’t think you were that stupid!”

Conrad walked over to Wolfram and, despite that there was nothing much left, took the glass away from him. It had been enough for Wolfram this evening. “Wolfram, won’t you say anything?” Conrad glared at him.

Wolfram upturned his head to the dark sky. “He’ll at least have a kiss to remember, and what do I have… Hmm? You know, he had never kissed me once…”

Conrad rubbed his forehead. He wanted to say that pitying himself won’t make the matters better, but Wolfram knew that anyway. “Wolfram, you should go to your chambers. Sleep or read or whatever. I’m afraid you might do something stupid this evening,” he said.

Wolfram nodded. He pushed himself off the parapet and went towards the door. Conrad watched his brother’s shaky steps then just shook his head and went back to the partying people.

XXXXX

“The ball is wonderful, Your Majesty,” the duchess of Volkswiese complimented Yuuri. “This evening is a huge success,” she said, after observing the hall with dancing, conversing and eating people.

“Thank you,” Yuuri nodded. “I’ll commend the organizers.”

The duchess graced Yuuri with a charming smile. “Ah, but it’s only His Majesty’s merit that there are so many people from all over the kingdom and other countries here.”

Yuuri hated these kinds of conversations. “You are exaggerating…” he smiled back. Over the woman’s shoulder he saw Wolfram entering the hall. He noticed that Wolfram’s steps were quite heavy. Yuuri felt slightly disturbed.

Wolfram’s emerald eyes fixed on Yuuri then slid to his right side where some woman was taking his place. Wolfram gritted his teeth in anger. His hope to finally make Yuuri love him had vanished, but nonetheless he couldn’t fathom the thought of someone else at Yuuri’s side. It made him mad.

Wolfram ploughed his way to Yuuri. Yuuri’s face got a bit worried expression at Wolfram’s determined look. 

“Duchess of Volkswiese…umm…” Wolfram tried to remember the woman’s name, but it was futile for his fuzzy mind. He decided that it wasn’t important anyway. “Oh, just several minutes ago I saw a lost kid looking for his grandmother,” Wolfram stood at Yuuri’s side, hooking his arm around the king’s. “He looked a bit similar to the duchess…” he continued. “Maybe it’s yours..?”

The duchess lightly blushed and shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t have grandchildren,” she said softly. “Neither do I have children…”

Wolfram’s emerald eyes widened. “Oh, I’m so sorry… You just look… I’m really sorry,” he hid his face in Yuuri’s shoulder before he could start sniggering.

Wolfram grinned at the embarrassed woman’s back as she excused herself and went back to intermingle with the crowd.

“What the hell is that?!” Yuuri hissed silently at Wolfram. “You behaved like a pig!”

“Really?” Wolfram raised his head from Yuuri’s shoulder. “Then how would you call the one who is trying to steal my fiancé?” he breathed.

Yuuri scrunched his nose at the smell of alcohol in Wolfram’s breath. “You are drunk,” he groaned. “Go to your chambers. Don’t embarrass me here!”

“Umm…” Wolfram nudged Yuuri into the side then pressed to him. “You, you and you. And what about me? Let’s go dancing, Yuuri?”

Yuuri groaned. “You know I can’t dance… Besides you…”

“I know you can dance waltz,” Wolfram didn’t let him finish. “Besides, I’m completely fine.” He tugged at Yuuri’s arm. “Yuuri, just this once,” he asked. “Can’t you at least give me one dance? Last dance before I let you go…hmm?” he leaned his head on Yuuri’s shoulder. “Just to make a nice memory…”

Yuuri’s brows furrowed in confusion. Was Wolfram talking what he was thinking about…? He decided not to take it seriously – Wolfram was quite buzzed. He sighed as Wolfram almost clung onto his neck.

“Yuuri, please?” Wolfram pressed his forehead on Yuuri’s shoulder. He shivered when Yuuri shook his head. “Am I that unpleasant to you that you can’t even…? Do you hate me that much?!”

Yuuri felt panicky at the hysterical notes Wolfram’s voice started taking. “Okay, okay… Wolfram, calm down,” Yuuri patted Wolfram awkwardly on his head. “We’ll dance a bit, okay?” He wasn’t sure what to do as Wolfram stayed pressed to him. Wolfram hiccupped, and Yuuri begged whatever gods there were that Wolfram wouldn’t be crying.

“Can we go to the balcony?” Wolfram wondered. He raised his hazy eyes at Yuuri, and Yuuri felt relieved, seeing no tracks of tears. “Let’s take several guards and…”

“I’m a host, Wolfram. It’s my damn birthday party. I can’t just leave…”

“Just for a bit,” Wolfram didn’t give up. “One damn dance! Can’t you even… Damn wimp! Gods, how I hate you!”

“Shhh!” Yuuri pressed Wolfram’s face to his chest to shut him up. “Fine, fine. Let’s go,” he tugged Wolfram towards the door. On his way he asked Conrad to talk to the musicians and ask for waltz.

Yuuri had been hoping that by the time they would reach the balcony Wolfram would change his mind or simply lose interest in dancing. That didn’t happen, though, and Yuuri felt his back hit one of the columns, and Wolfram was pressing to him, his arm wrapped around his neck, his other taking Yuuri’s and raising it into the air. 

At first Yuuri faltered a bit but then wrapped his arm around Wolfram’s back. Yuuri squirmed at the other boy’s closeness and the feel of their hips meshing together then just gave in. Wolfram was right – he could humor his “fiancé” at least this once.

“Who is leading?” Yuuri blinked at Wolfram. 

“And who do you think? You are the king, dammit,” Wolfram glared. They were already in the position that was clearly telling who was leading, and Yuuri still had to ask… But maybe it was because he had Yuuri’s back pushed up to a column… “Umm…” Wolfram stepped back, leaving some space for Yuuri.

Yuuri listened to the music that was wafting from the first floor. He looked around and saw the guards staring at them. He sighed inwardly. Yes, they did look strange while simply standing like that. There were plenty of rumors about him and Wolfram in the castle, and this wasn’t helping. 

Wolfram rested his head on Yuuri’s shoulder, and Yuuri just went with it. The first steps were awkward and unsure, but later it simply flowed. Wolfram was good at it. Actually it wasn’t bad and that awkward like he thought it would be. It wasn’t that different from dancing with a girl. And it was nice to feel Wolfram relax against him, the blonde blissfully sighing. Wolfram was right – he could at least give Wolfram this dance. 

“Umm…” Yuuri drawled unsure after five minutes of the waltz. “Is it your sword or…?”

“It’s “or”…” Wolfram nodded against Yuuri’s shoulder.

Yuuri’s step faltered a bit. His hips shied away from Wolfram’s. He felt Wolfram sigh against his neck but the prince didn’t say anything.

“I have a gift for you, too,” Wolfram said a bit later. “Though, I think I’ll present it later.” He raised his head from Yuuri’s shoulder to look at the king’s face. “I wanted to talk to you, but I’m quite…” he sighed.

“Yeah,” Yuuri nodded. “It’s the first time I have seen you drunk… Well, buzzed. Not that you are too…”

“Sorry.”

“Ah well,” Yuuri shrugged. “It’s my birthday, and you are celebrating,” he grinned. “I don’t think I have a right to complain.”

Wolfram sighed and lowered his head back onto Yuuri’s shoulder. “It’s not that I’m celebrating… I think it’s the opposite… I thought… Ah, to hell with it!” Wolfram frowned. He raised his head again. “It just doesn’t work, does it?”

“Huh?”

“Things between us. They just don’t work…”

Yuuri sighed. “Let’s not talk about this right now. Just…enjoy the dance.”

“Okay,” Wolfram shrugged.

TBC


	5. Part 5

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 5

“You owe ten bucks,” the green-haired maid held out her palm for the blond one.

“Ten bucks?!” the blonde gasped. “I thought we had bet on five! Besides, I’m not going to pay! How was I supposed to know that…”

“The other five are mine. A bet is a bet! You lost, you pay!” the red-haired maid interrupted them. She lowered the tub with dry clothes to the ground and brushed sweat off her forehead. Deciding to take a short break before ironing them, she went to the stove to make some tea for three of them.

“It’s not fair!” the blonde protested. “I was sure His Majesty would kiss His Highness!”

“Well, you were wrong,” the redhead busied herself with firewood and matches, and didn’t hear the door opening. “I feel sorry for His Highness, but it was clear that His Majesty wouldn’t kiss Wolfram von Bielefeld,” she blew to start the fire faster, not noticing that all the sound ceased in the kitchen. 

“It’s a miracle that His Majesty danced with him at all,” she continued then put the teakettle on. “Anyone lemon, strawberry or raspberry tea?” she turned around. Her eyes went round. “Ehhhhh Ehhhh, Your Highness,” she bowed quickly.

“I’d chop you in half or burn you to crisp,” Wolfram hissed, furiously. “But actually I wanted to ask if, you lot, have anything for a hangover,” the fireball in his right hand faded away.

The blonde came round first. “Although, I’m sure that Gisela would have something better, there is pickle from the cucumbers in the vault. Should I bring it?”

Wolfram nodded. “Gisela is having a hangover herself,” he muttered mournfully. “So much for her special remedies,” he snickered while going to the table to sit down. He supported his hurting head. 

“And you’ll be punished,” Wolfram pointed at the redhead after her friend had ran off to get the pot. “I don’t know what it will be yet... But as you are perfectly informed that I didn’t get kissed, you do realize that I’m in a very bad mood today, ne? Be prepared,” he said to the pale maid while rubbing his temples.

“Yes, Your Highness!” she bowed again. “I’m very sorry!”

“Sorry my ass,” Wolfram pressed a metal cup to his forehead to at least take some of the pain off. “If not for my mother, I’d have fired all three of you a long time ago!”

The maids started shivering. It was one of the worst temper tantrums their prince had ever had. When the prince started cursing it meant trouble.

“I want pork in Mekial sauce for dinner. And put some fresh flowers in my room. And no pink! And I want a new set of pajamas. No, three of them. And I want a new mattress in my room. And change the wallpapers in my room into something bluer. And I want a glass of apple juice each morning. And...” Wolfram winced when thinking made his head hurt. “And I’ll think of something more later. I’ll turn your life into hell. I promise,” he glared, clutching his head.

“Yes, Your Highness!” the two of them bowed again.

The door behind them creaked and the blonde appeared from behind them. She hurried to the table then quickly found a mug and filled it. “Your Highness,” she bowed, holding out the mug.

Wolfram grabbed the mug, closed his eyes, held his breath and downed it in three big gulps. “Disgusting,” he frowned after swallowing everything. 

The maid filled the mug again. Taking the mug with him, Wolfram stood up. “Okay, so I’ll go think of something more for you to do, and you can start working. If I catch you spying again, you lot, will clean the stables for a year. Understood?”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

XXXXX

“I hope it’s at least a good morning for you,” Wolfram entered Yuuri’s chamber. He was sipping from his mug. “My head is killing me. And those three bitches,” he clenched his fist. “I’m soo gonna hand their asses to them!”

From his seat at the table, Yuuri blinked at Wolfram. “Don’t curse. And are you talking about those maids?”

Wolfram walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it. “Yeah,” he sipped the pickle then rubbed his bursting forehead.

“Ah, fine. You have my permission,” Yuuri ruffled through his dark hair. “Do something nasty,” he went back to reading the documents on his table. “I was thinking that you could help me out. This seems to be written in some dialect. I don’t understand a thing,” he poked at the paper on the table. “But seeing how you feel...”

Wolfram sighed. He held out his hand. “Show it to me.” He took it when Yuuri approached him. “It’s a request for permission to buy thirty more horses for our stables. Sign it,” he gave the paper back after reading it. 

Yuuri nodded. “Thanks.” He came back to the table and sat down.

“It seems Gunter was pretty sloshed too, to let such trifle reach you instead of taking care of it himself,” Wolfram commented. He sipped the pickle again. “I’ll send one of those accursed maids to him with the pickle. It seems to be helping.” 

Wolfram put the mug onto the cupboard next to the bed, kicked his boots off and lay down on his back. It felt so much better than being upright. Yuuri’s scent wafting from the soft covers seemed to work relaxingly, too. Wolfram inhaled deeper then yawned. 

“And what gifts did you get?” Wolfram asked interested, rubbing his cheek against the cool covers.

“Oh, yeah,” Yuuri took a sheet from the table. “I got two carriages, three camels, four horses, ten swords, five holy books in languages I can’t understand a word of,” he read. “I have also gotten eight ancient and very valuable pendulums. One lucky charm horseshoe - it’s golden, by the way -, and other junk. In other words – nothing I can use, so I sent the damn stuff to auctioneers and said to distribute the gained money to orphanages and hospitals and stuff. It’s my birthday after all, so let’s make people happy,” he threw the paper back onto the table.

Wolfram nodded. “I see. I’m glad you did that,” he shrugged when a suspicious look crossed Yuuri’s face. He wasn’t going to argue with Yuuri about what he was doing with his gifts. “And what did Conrad, Gwendal and Gunter give to you?” he asked.

“Gwendal knitted me a huge bear, it’s a bear-bee or maybe a koala,” he pointed at a huge toy that was standing or rather sitting in the right corner of the room. “Gunter…” Yuuri got up and walked over to the closet. He opened it and took a hanger with a cloth on it. “Here,” he showed it to Wolfram whose eyes became three times their size. “I don’t know where your hentai friend got it, but I’m sooo throwing this thing into fire the first opportunity I have!” he shook the hanger with the outfit that consisted only of leather straps and metal rings. 

Yuuri shrieked and let go of the hanger as it suddenly flared up.

Wolfram snapped his fingers to distinguish the fire. He walked over to the remnants of the outfit, leaped on it and jumped up and down several times to free his anger. “And no pickle for the pervert! Now, that that’s taken care of…” he turned back to wide-eyed Yuuri. “And what did Conrad give to you?” Wolfram left the tatters of the evil rest in peace and walked back over to the bed. He lay down again.

Yuuri came back to his table and sat down. “He said he had formed another baseball team. He challenged me.” Yuuri raised his head to grin at Wolfram.

“A weird gift,” Wolfram looked at the ceiling. “But you seem to like it better than the others you got. He really knows you well.” 

Wolfram sat up. “I have a gift for you as well,” he reached into his pocket to get a small packet. “But I suppose you’ll send it to auctioneers, too,” he sighed, standing up and walking over to Yuuri. He put the packet on the table against Yuuri. “I just thought I’d give you something before we... Ah well, sadly I didn’t know you were that selective about your gifts before ordering it...”

Yuuri took the package in his hands. “What is it?” he started unwrapping the paper.

“You’ll see.”

Yuuri opened the small box. There were cufflinks and a pin for ascot. They were golden, encrusted with emeralds. Moved, Yuuri put the cover aside.

“It’s the color of your eyes,” he said after taking the pin and turning it around between his fingers several times to observe it.

“It appears you know what color my eyes are after all,” Wolfram yawned disheveling his blond hair then combing it with his fingers again.

“Wolfram,” Yuuri raised his eyes from the pin to the prince. “Of course I know what color your eyes are. I also know that you can’t live without a cup of tea before going to sleep and that you are grumpy as hell in the mornings,” he sighed. “Don’t underestimate me so much. Thank you very much. It’s a nice gift.” 

“You don’t need to pretend that you like it,” Wolfram said, walking over back to the bed and dropping into it. 

“I’m not pretending. It’s nice. The thought itself is nice.” Yuuri put the pin back into the box. He perfectly realized that the gift and the symbolism meant more to Wolfram than to him, but he was touched, too. Even if in a different way than Wolfram wanted, Wolfram was dear to him. 

Yuuri could never forget the moment when they all thought that he would never come back to Shin Makoku. He was afraid then. He could still hear Wolfram’s hoarse with tears voice calling out to him just before he was ready to jump into the portal. That voice had been tearing at his heart the entire time after he left. Maybe that’s why he didn’t have the nerve to call off the engagement. Wolfram was ecstatic when he came back. He had pitied Wolfram, hoping it would work out somehow, and yet it didn’t.

Yuuri looked at the dozing Wolfram on his bed and sighed.

XXXXX

Shori was standing in Wolfram von Bielefeld’s room, actually in the balcony behind it. Shori wanted to have a talk with his brother’s fiancé. He had spent the whole day talking with Yuuri and Wolfram’s brothers, and when the evening drew, he decided to face Wolfram finally.

Despite that Shori had been told that Wolfram should be soon back from the baths, he had already been waiting for about half an hour. 

Shori’s head rose at the sound of the door closing. He straightened and went in the direction of the room. His step faltered when he heard two voices, and then he stopped completely as a loud slap rang through the air. Slowly, Shori stuck his head from behind the curtain.

Wolfram rubbed his left cheek. He wasn’t really angry with Kyota, he just couldn’t feel angry with him. “I think it would be the fifth time already now that you’ve done that. But who’s counting…” Wolfram soothed his burning cheek again. 

“It’s so that you wouldn’t forget that I’m serious,” Kyota reached out his hand to Wolfram’s face but Wolfram stepped away from him. “Just so you know that my proposal is always open to you.”

“Kyota…” Wolfram sighed. He was simply tired. His head still hurt and he was not in his best mood. He walked over to sit down on the chair that was standing next to the table, just a meter away from the curtain where Shori held his breath.

“One day you’ll change your mind,” Kyota said, sitting down on Wolfram’s table, in front of Wolfram. He shifted to get comfortable on the hard wooden surface.

“You sure are sure of yourself,” Wolfram shook his head. 

“Well, that makes two of us,” Kyota said. “So one of us is wrong.”

Wolfram closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. He started as he felt lips pressing to his. Fingers entangled into the hair at his nape, massaging, trying to get him relax.

Wolfram turned his head to the side, breaking the contact.

Kyota leaned away, with a quite worried look on his face. “Are you mad?” Kyota sounded anxiously as Wolfram hadn’t said anything for a minute.

“No, but I’ll break your nose if you try that again.”

Kyota nodded. “Understood.” He knew when Wolfram was serious. He lowered his head, but then it shot up back to Wolfram’s face again, making the other male startle and lean away from him. “What the hell does he have that I don’t?!” his sapphire eyes blazed with fury.

Wolfram groaned. He buried his fingers in his hair. “I said this before. It’s not because of him. It’s...”

“But you love him!”

“I do. But this doesn’t have any influence on our…” Wolfram caught himself before he could say “relationship”, “…on this situation.”

Kyota finally took his frustration under control. “I’m sorry,” he apologized.

Wolfram just shook his head. “Go back home. It will be easier to us both. Stop torturing yourself, forget me, Kyota.” 

Kyota gave Wolfram a bitter smile. He straightened, jumped off the table and walked over to Wolfram’s bed then plopped onto it. “Then let me ask you why you are torturing yourself? Why aren’t you letting him go?”

“I will. I already am,” Wolfram muttered. He leaned his elbows on the table and buried his fingers into his hair, his fingertips feeling warm against his scalp. 

“I know that you are thinking pragmatically right now – you are a practical guy after all -, but it won’t work,” Wolfram raised his head to look at Kyota who was watching him intently. “I can’t make you happy, Kyota. You need someone worthy to respond to your feelings, to appreciate what you offer. You know what would it be called if I turned to you now? – Taking advantage. I still have some self-respect left.” He raised his hand as Kyota opened his mouth with a protest clearly written on his face. “Go home, Kyota.”

“Four years have passed, Wolfram,” Kyota’s voice was firm. “Three years after I said I loved you. You perfectly know it’s impossible to erase the person you love that easily. So don’t tell me to forget you and all that bullshit. Don’t treat me like an ill person. I am not asking for your pity. I never did. I’m going to fight for you, Wolfram, if you want me to or not. You know I won’t give up so easily.”

“You are a fool, then,” Wolfram shrugged.

“Maybe,” Kyota nodded. “But one has to fight for things like this.”

“Too much of insistence may bring the opposite result. I’m afraid Yuuri has started hating me.”

“More help to reach the goal finally.”

Wolfram sighed. He reclined into the chair. “I see it’s pointless.”

Kyota shrugged. “Yep. I think the worst thing is that we both are pretty similar and very stubborn.”

Kyota brushed over the embroidery on the cover. “I still remember our first kiss and how your scent was soaked into the covers I thought I was the happiest kid in the world,” he raised his head to look at Wolfram. “You are so cute when you blush,” he chuckled.

“Fuck you,” Wolfram muttered, embarrassed. “You shouldn’t cling to memories like that.”

“But those are very nice memories. The ones that make it worth living. Thanks for yesterday’s kiss, by the way.”

Wolfram sat silently for awhile then nodded, agreeing. He too had such memories about his mother, Conrad, Gwendal, Kyota and Yuuri, he had many of them. Sometimes he regretted that he wasn’t in love with Kyota – it would have made things so much easier, for both of them. But he would be a fool to say that to Kyota.

XXXXX

Shori puzzled in his head over what he should do now. He had been standing behind that curtain for more than an hour, his legs and back all stiff. Kyota had left, but Shori couldn’t simply step out from behind the curtain and wave his hand in greeting. 

Wolfram seemed to be preparing for sleep or something similar because Shori could hear the wardrobe screeching, the clothes rustling. Would he have to wait until Wolfram fell asleep?!

This was the stupidest situation ever.

Shori was relieved to no end when he heard the sounds of the door opening and then closing. Only then did he remember that Wolfram usually slept in Yuuri’s chambers.

Shori walked over to the door carefully and opened it. He shut the door behind him tightly. He had no need to talk to Wolfram anymore – he heard more than enough and knew he had nothing to worry about – Yuuri was safe. Although, now he was worried not about Yuuri anymore.

XXXXX

Wolfram found Yuuri already asleep, the boy curled up under the covers, but his legs dangling bare from under them to get some cool air in the hot night.

Wolfram changed into his nightgown and lay down, facing Yuuri. It was probably the last time he and Yuuri would sleep in one bed. Tomorrow morning Yuuri was leaving for Earth, and Wolfram had no idea when he would see him again. Maybe after several days, maybe months. Yuuri, the dork, still wasn’t sure what he would do after seeing his parents and celebrating his birthday, which left Wolfram in the dark. 

But Yuuri was adorable when asleep, his face relaxed, his mouth a bit open, full lips thrust a little forward as if expecting a goodnight kiss. 

It was a long while before Wolfram fell asleep.

XXXXX

The day came earlier than Wolfram would have liked. But at least he wasn’t alone in the bed. Yuuri was awake too. The king was lying on his back, his thoughtful look cast somewhere at or beyond the window.

Wolfram yawned and shifted, trying to get blood flowing in his right arm.

“Morning.”

“Hey,” Yuuri nodded. He turned his head to Wolfram. “Didn’t hear you when you came back yesterday,” he yawned, too.

“One of my friends is staying over, so we had much to remember,” Wolfram said.

“Ah, Kyota Docharo it seems?” Yuuri wondered.

Wolfram nodded. “Last time we saw each other was two years ago. I didn’t realize how much I missed him.”

“I’m glad for you,” Yuuri smiled. “I haven’t really seen any of your friends, and I think it’s nice to know you have many people to care for you.”

Wolfram turned to his other side, facing away from Yuuri. “You don’t need to feel guilty.”

Yuuri flustered, but then shook his head. “I don’t think it’s only that. I care for you, Wolfram. Not the way that you wish, but I do care.”

Wolfram didn’t say anything for several minutes then turned back to face Yuuri. “I know. And…” but he didn’t finish, just shook his head. Actually the fact that Yuuri liked him was only making things worse. It seemed there was such a tiny line between liked and loved and wanted. But Yuuri had proved to him that it was not a line - it appeared to be a thick wall of bricks, and hitting one’s stubborn head on it didn’t work.

“How long are you going to stay on Earth?” Wolfram asked after several minutes of silence.

Yuuri rolled onto his stomach and hugged his pillow. “I’m not sure. But yesterday I decided that I’d come back here and then take a break. Have no idea how long it will be. I just want to run away for awhile. And before you say anything – yeah, I know that I’m a silly and irresponsible wimp of a king. But I just feel like I would go mad if I stayed here longer.”

If Wolfram had any comments, he kept them to himself. He too rolled onto his stomach and snuggled his face into the pillow. He let out a long sigh. “I’m...” he cleared his voice to stop it from squeaking but then changed his mind and fell silent.

“Wolfram?”

“No, it’s nothing,” Wolfram shook his head. He was afraid. He was afraid that Yuuri would simply forget him. He had already accepted the thought that Yuuri would never answer his feelings, but he at least wanted to take some part in Yuuri’s heart. He was selfish, he knew that, but it didn’t keep him from wanting that.

He could already feel that with each day Yuuri was distancing himself from him more and more. He was afraid that with time he would mean less and less to Yuuri until it would slowly progress to indifference and then to distaste.

Wolfram didn’t know when he reached the point of Yuuri becoming so important to him. Had no idea how and why he let Yuuri become his weakness. True, he had always rather acted on the spur of the moment and had been hotheaded and impulsive. But why had he been so stupid to let a simple infatuation become more than he could handle? 

It all had started rather playfully – he had just been amused to see Yuuri’s reaction each time he approached Yuuri. But at some point this game had turned against him. Life was a bitch that tended to be ironic, after all. Maybe he had just been induced by Yuuri’s lack of response. Maybe he thought it would be nice to have a challenge? Actually he doubted that – he probably had already been in love with Yuuri before starting to tease the younger man.

Whatever the reason was and however it started, he wasn’t a masochist and didn’t get a kick out of being constantly rejected. It had to end. Even if by this time it grew to be comfortably painful.

XXXXX

They all were gathered in the yard of the former shrine of the previous king. The fountain was still happily spraying and the heads that reminded of dragons or lions (Yuuri had never been sure about this one) were indifferent to the time and events flowing around them. 

The blue rippling water in the octagonal pool looked inviting and offered coolness during the hot day, and Yuuri leaned down to submerge his hands. It was still hot, and he hoped that at least until he would be away the hot season would end.

From the sparkling water, Yuuri raised his head to look at Murata who leaned down too, to splash some water on his face, his glasses he put on one of lion/dragon heads.

Murata seemed to be discontent to have to go back to the Earth. Yuuri didn’t wonder about that – he had heard that Murata was having a great time with the shrine maids. Actually he had heard that after losing its purpose, the shrine became more of a sluthouse than a shrine.

Some of the maids, instead of the previous king, turned to worship some gods, others who still had their families, went back to them, some found work in the city, and some of them stayed. He had Gunter report to him that the previous king’s shrine had been turning into a place with foul reputation, Murata being happy about it and not wanting to move out.

Then Yuuri had nothing left only to give the order to drive the rest of the maids away and announce the shrine a residence of War God. Gunter said he could choose from several gods they had, but that only included the God of War, the God of Love and the God of Fertility. The country was poor on gods. As in several last weeks the shrine had endured more of loving than Yuuri could handle, he decided that the God of War was the most appropriate.

So Yuuri could understand that Murata was angry with him. Although, he couldn’t say that he cared or worried. He was sure that Murata’s reason for anger couldn’t hinder their friendship.

“Don’t worry about him,” Wolfram leaned to Yuuri’s ear. “The Great Sage is well-known for his…mmm….sex overdrive. He’ll find a new girl on the Earth and forget all about it.”

“Really?” Yuuri wondered. He straightened. “So he has always been like this? And I was already worried I made some mistake somewhere…”

Wolfram rolled his eyes. “In spite of how highly you think of yourself, you don’t influence the sex drive of the kingdom. Well, only mine,” he couldn’t help teasing. As expected, Yuuri flushed red.

“Shut up,” he muttered, nudging Wolfram on the shoulder. “You and my mother… You never know when to stop,” he murmured.

“Umm…” Wolfram blinked, not very sure if it was a good thing to be compared to one’s mother. “You do love your mother, don’t you?”

Yuuri just sighed. “Yes, I do, Wolfram, and no, I didn’t mean to insult you. I just said that you should stop trying to make me feel uncomfortable.”

“You just look too cute when you blush,” Wolfram shook his head, smiling. “Come back soon,” he leaned to kiss Yuuri on his right cheek. “I’ll miss you,” the playfulness in his eyes was replaced by the seriousness. 

Yuuri nodded. “I promise I won’t make you worry. Mom,” he added, grinning.

Wolfram chuckled. “Be sure to keep that promise. Or I’ll skin you alive,” he added, too.

“Deal,” Yuuri nodded again. He turned to Shori and Murata who were already waiting for him. Yuuri climbed into the fountain. After five seconds his vision blurred and he felt sucked into the endless bottom of the octagonal fountain.

TBC


	6. Part 6

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 6

Wolfram cocked his head to the side then frowned at the wall. “I don’t like the color!” he announced after observing the new wallpapered wall. “Try something else.”

During those three days while Yuuri was absent, Wolfram had driven the maids into despair. Wolfram’s moods were blacker than black, and, as promised, he was successfully prosecuting his plan of turning the maids’ lives into hell.

“Yes, Your Highness!” the red-head maid bowed and took off with the wallpapers to look for something else.

“And the juice was too cold this morning!” Wolfram sent after her quickly retreating steps. He had always known he was a bit of a sadist. Not that he really cared about it.

Wolfram walked over to his table and sat down on the chair next to it. He was bored out of his mind. In the evenings, when it was cooler, he at least sparred with Conrad, but the days…they were driving him mad. He knew that, very likely, the heat had nothing to do with it - it was because he had too much free time on his hands and couldn’t stop thinking about Yuuri.

XXXXX

Shori looked at the gift their mother had given to Yuuri for his birthday and tried to suppress his cackle. Unsuccessfully. Yuuri turned his head to him, glaring daggers.

“Why don’t you try it on? It would make her very happy,” Shori grinned, unaffected.

Yuuri’s eyes seemed to burn a hole in Shori’s forehead. Then Yuuri turned back to the box on the floor that contained a white puffed wedding dress. Yuuri’s eyes sparkled dangerously and a smirk appeared on his face. 

Murata’s head shot up at a loud crash upstairs. After a second there was a sound of door slamming, and Shori almost flew downstairs. Yuuri was shortly after him. Shori, with his eyes almost delirious, shot to the door that led outside. Before running off, he had managed to shout something like “Yuuri went mad” but that was blurred by Yuuri’s battle-cry, his majutsu roaring around him and a white dress scuffling in his hand.

Unfazed, Murata went back to reading his porn magazine.

Yuuri and Shori’s parents cast a look to each other and smiled happily. It was like the good old days. Although, this time it was Yuuri chasing after Shori and not the other way round.

“Shori! Shori! Stop! Dammit!” Yuuri hissed in pain as his foot caught on the lump on the ground and he fell with his knee on the concrete. Luckily, the damn dress somehow got entangled between his legs and his knee landed on the material, making the hit much softer.

Shori turned around to look at his cursing brother. He hesitated but after making a step towards Yuuri and seeing his brother’s head shoot up and his eyes blazing, changed his mind and ran farther.

“Goddamn!” Shori yelped as a bolt of majutsu hit him directly on his behind, sending him face sprawled on the lawn that was on his right. He was glad that he didn’t wear his glasses. He spat the grass out of his mouth. Shori yelped again as the next second Yuuri jumped onto him and tackled him to the grass.

“You will wear it!” Yuuri hissed.

“No way!” Shori couldn’t stop laughing, trying to buck his brother off his back. “Are you crazy?!” he laughed again as Yuuri started tugging at his clothes. Actually, physically, Yuuri couldn’t do anything to him – he was much stronger and heavier than his younger brother.

“Maybe then you’ll finally stop laughing at me!” Yuuri smacked Shori on the back of his head.

“But it’s really funny! And it wasn’t me who gave you that dress!” Shori protested, laughing his head off.

“Fuck off and die!” Yuuri glared at the back of the dark head.

“Yuuri, are you really sure about Wolfram?”

Yuuri blinked at Shori’s back, his surprise at the unexpected question obvious. “W-what?” He grunted showing his surprise then Shori rolled them over, pushing him with his back onto the grass. Shori sat down next to his confused brother.

“I mean… You show very clearly that you don’t want that kind of relationship with him, but are you really sure? Won’t you regret it later?”

His brother kept surprising him. Yuuri lifted himself on his elbows. “Did Wolfram or Conrad talk to you? If he…”

“No,” Shori shook his head. “None of them did.”

Yuuri cast his eyes over Shori’s face. He sighed and fell back to the grass with his back. “The thought of doing that with a guy disgusts me.”

“Really?” Shori looked at Yuuri, serious. “And the thought of sleeping with a woman scares you?”

Yuuri’s eyes shot open. “It’s completely different!” he glared at his brother, flushed.

Shori didn’t say anything, he was sure anyway that Yuuri knew what he wanted to say.

“Listen,” Yuuri sat up shortly. “I’m not gay!”

“This has hardly to do with that,” Shori shook his head. “I have never seen you care about anyone else as you care for Wolfram. Even after you started trying to distance yourself from him…”

“He’s my friend! He has rescued my ass more than one time, and of course I’d do the same for him!”

Shori didn’t even bother arguing with that. “I can’t get inside your head and say if you are gay, bisexual or whatever. Actually it doesn’t matter at all.

“You think you’ll meet a cute girl and will feel more than you feel for Wolfram? It may happen,” he nodded. “But it may also not happen, and for the rest of your life you’d regret pushing Wolfram away. That what he is offering…let’s just say one can’t find it lying somewhere in the field. So think about it very carefully before refusing.” 

Yuuri stayed silent for some time then plopped back onto the grass. “What the hell happened that you came to aid him? I thought you were against Wolfram getting into your little brother’s pants…” Yuuri jerked at the Shori’s heavy shadow that fell over him. Yuuri blinked at Shori’s raised hand. With a shock, he suddenly realized that Shori had hardly kept himself from slapping him. Unbelievable.

“You know what, Yuuri?” Shori lowered his arm. “You are not even worth him.”

Wide-eyed, Yuuri watched his brother’s receding back.

XXXXX

Confused, Gunter watched Wolfram’s back as he was busying himself with something on the ground. When Wolfram raised his handwork into the air, Gunter stepped back.

“What are you doing?” Gunter asked carefully. His thoughts started whirling to the conclusion that throughout the long hot day the sun had fried the young prince’s brain. In that week while Yuuri had been absent, Wolfram’s behavior started worrying the entire castle.

Wolfram raised the stick with a wrapped pink nightgown on it. “What I’m doing?” Wolfram repeated. “Burning the damn bitch, of course!” he let out a laugh filled with malevolence.

“Eh?” Gunter took several steps back again. “Can I ask why? It was your favorite nightgown…”

Gunter jumped back when Wolfram’s furious gaze nailed him. He felt his back hit the wall.

“My favorite nightgown?!” Wolfram hissed out, his face contorted in anger. With a strong shove he stuck the pole into the ground, and the wind picked at the frilly material, making it flutter in time with its whiffs. The prince retreated aside to admire his handiwork. 

“I hate it with a passion!”

A fireball appeared in Wolfram’s hand and then engulfed the nightgown. Gunter watched the hissing and coiling material while it burned, lighting the space around itself, creating quite an eerie sight in the dark yard.

“Why did you wear it then?” Gunter wondered. “And why are you burning it now?”

With an evil grin Wolfram stared at the pink that was turning black. “I figured that despite Yuuri always saying that he didn’t like it, he might be lying. I thought it would make me look more…feminine,” he scowled.

“But it didn’t work. I suppose no nightie can cover the fact that I have a dick,” the blonde snorted, remembering Yuuri’s words. “Here,” he grinned. “Dead, the bitch!” he pointed his finger at the smoldering pole that held nothing more only several crisps.

“Don’t curse,” Gunter muttered. He wasn’t worried about curse words anymore. He was more worried about Wolfram, who looked like a maniac at the moment. “Have you finally believed he hated it?”

“No,” Wolfram shook his head. “I still think he liked it. But I really hated it, and as the need for dressing that…that…grrr! is gone…”

“Is gone..?” Gunter wondered.

“Yeah, is gone,” Wolfram said before walking away. “I had quit with that.”

XXXXX

Silence settled in the kitchen. Watching his brother from the corner of his eye, Yuuri stirred his rice. They hadn’t talked after that incident. Yuuri was still wondering what made Shori lash out like he did on that day. His and Wolfram’s relationship wasn’t Shori’s business, and he wasn’t going to let himself be pushed around.

Yuuri hadn’t thought about Shori’s words much, rather why Shori had said them. There was one weird and obviously stupid suspicion he was having, but couldn’t get rid of it. Did Shori fall in love with Wolfram? But maybe he was misunderstanding that. Those words “You are not even worth him” could be seen in many different shades. Besides, he couldn’t remember that Shori had ever been interested in a guy.

Yuuri sighed and put some rice into his mouth, thinking that if his suspicions were true, then things might become much easier. There was no problem with him if Shori liked Wolfram and was jealous. But Wolfram… Well, Shori was older, more mature, handsome and soon to be the king of the Earth, so maybe Wolfram would direct his attention to Shori. But first, Wolfram had to know that Shori was interested.

Sucking on his chopsticks, Yuuri decided to work on it, and as soon as they finished dinner, cornered Shori in his room.

Shori blinked at Yuuri who was standing opposite him, leaning over his chair, Yuuri’s face so close to his that it seemed Yuuri was attempting to merge them. Shori leaned away from his brother, his head almost hitting the monitor of his personal computer.

“Yuuri, do you know that there’s such thing as “personal space”?” Shori frowned at him.

Yuuri ignored the comment. “Shori, are you in love with Wolfram?”

Shori blinked hard. Once, twice and then painted all red. “Of course, I’m not in love with Wolfram!” he stuttered. “How did you get that idea at all?! I was just trying to…” Shori leaned away as Yuuri’s face appeared next to his again.

“Shori…?”

“I’m not in love!” Shori spluttered. “What the hell has gotten into you?! You don’t need to be jealous – he’s all yours for all I care!”

Yuuri tapped his fingers on his chin. “Aha. So you feel guilty for wanting your brother’s fiancé?”

Shori managed to only blink and then to stare at Yuuri while his younger brother went on about how he didn’t mind his and Wolfram’s relationship and that in fact it would be good, and that they only needed to make Wolfram believe that. Did Gunter hypnotize Yuuri or something?

“Yuuri, I don’t love Wolfram,” Shori tried again after Yuuri made a break to inhale some air. “I like that girl I go to the lectures about ancient history with… I was just pissed that you brushed Wolfram off so lightly…”

Yuuri closed his mouth. He sighed and plopped onto Shori’s bed. “Lightly?” he chuckled, shaking his head. “You shouldn’t talk that way about what you know nothing about. I’m not brushing him off. It’s just that I can’t give him the relationship he wants. It’s impossible. Wolfram has to understand that, and this has to stop.”

Shori watched as Yuuri slumped on his bed, then nodded. There was no help to it if Yuuri felt that way. “He knows that,” Shori said softly. “But it isn’t as easy as you think…”

Yuuri snorted. “Give me some credit! You seem to think that I don’t understand how he feels or how I’m hurting him,” he snorted again. “I perfectly know all that, and that’s why I’m trying to end it before it gets any worse.”

Shori watched his younger brother and wondered how he hadn’t noticed Yuuri grow up. Yuuri was spending too much time away. He was still a kid, but the new responsibility, the dangers he had been through made Yuuri mature faster. The realization that they were growing apart and going each to his own way hit Shori hard. 

“When are you going back?” Shori asked.

“Tomorrow,” Yuuri answered in a soft voice. 

Yuuri had already had his birthday party here. There weren’t many people who had come. Only five: Murata and four other guys from his class. That made Yuuri realize one thing – his place wasn’t here anymore. But despite, because of the time gap, he spent more time in Shin Makoku, he knew he was going to finish school and his studies on the Earth. He had decided on that long ago. It was all good and well while it was summer, but soon he’d have to come back and stay here much longer, and meanwhile the time in Shin Makoku would jump and run to overcome everything, leaving the others behind.

XXXXX

“You call this pajamas?!” Wolfram yelled at the red-haired maid. “It’s a damn dress!” he shook the frilly outfit against the maid’s nose.

“But… it’s very similar to what His Highness usually wears…” she looked at Wolfram teary-eyed. It was two weeks after the king had gone to the Earth, and the prince hadn’t relented a bit.

“And THAT’S WHY I wanted something different than that fucked up pink dress. I hate it!” Wolfram threw the dress into the maid’s face. “Get me something similar to what Yuuri is usually wearing! Oh, don’t bother!” he snickered then. “I’ll go buy it myself, because you probably wouldn’t even manage to find the market!” with a loud whiff he plopped onto the bed, his new mattress bouncing merrily.

Wolfram slapped himself on the forehead when he saw tears gathering in the maid’s eyes. “For god’s sake…” he muttered. “Fine, I will stop shouting at you, just go and buy something normal. Thanks for the flowers, by the way,” he motioned at the bedside-cabinet where a colorful bouquet stood. “They are nice.”

Wolfram sighed at a bright smile that was offered by the maid. He hid his face in his pillow. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.

The maid only nodded at his back, accepting the apology. “Would His Highness prefer blue then?”

“Anything but pink,” Wolfram groaned. He felt ashamed now for spilling his frustrations on those around him when the real cause of his mood was not available. He was behaving stupid and childish.

Deciding to stop this self-pity parade, Wolfram got up from the bed. Leaving the maid behind him, he went to the stables, mounted his horse, and, without telling anything to anyone, went for a ride to the same lake he took Yuuri to a couple of weeks ago.

XXXXX

All drenched, sitting in the fountain in the yard of the former previous king shrine and the current shrine of the God of War, Yuuri decided that he was starting to develop a distaste for fountains…or for pools, or for lakes, or for water in general.

Yuuri stood up, waded to the side of the fountain, and climbed over it. Then he decided that the hot season had not ended in time – it was chilly with that wet uniform. 

As there was no maid anymore who could predict Yuuri’s arrival, Yuuri wasn’t disturbed by Gunter catching him off guard and hugging and fondling the crap out of him, which, after realizing that, made Yuuri’s mood lighter. 

Yuuri and Murata went to the gates and simply let themselves out. Yuuri waved his hand at the guards who were stationed at the other side of the gates and started climbing downhill.

“Yuuri?”

“Hmm?”

“Where the hell I’m going to stay now?” Murata glared at his king. 

“In the castle, where you are supposed to stay,” Yuuri shrugged. “You are the Great Sage, so stop behaving like a great lecher.”

Through the top of his glasses Murata looked at Yuuri. Then he pushed his glasses up his nose. “Yuuri, actually you don’t know me and you don’t know how I behave normally.”

Yuuri shrugged. Murata was starting to piss him off with that attitude. “However you behave, I’m your king, and if I said that you are not to live in that shrine and not to chase every damn skirt, you won’t,” he said.

Murata stopped to stare at Yuuri’s receding back. Yuuri had surprised him. It seemed that while he was playing away with the maids, Yuuri had developed a firmer backbone. Murata grinned; about time.

Yuuri and Murata were met warmly like usual. Gunter was immediately at Yuuri’s side, and Yuuri was ushered to his workroom to overlook the papers, and on their way Gunter filled Yuuri in about recent events. Resignedly, Yuuri sat down at his table, took a pen in his hand (he had brought the pen from the Earth to make the whole process faster and more efficient) and started working. 

It was late evening when Yuuri finally decided to finish his paperwork. The piles on the table seemed to hardly lessen but it was time for dinner thus Yuuri put his pen down and went to the dining-room. He was surprised to find an empty chair next to him.

“Where’s Wolfram?” Yuuri wondered, digging into his salad. “To think of it…He hadn’t come to greet me…”

“Maybe YOU should come to him once,” Murata swallowed his potato innocently.

Yuuri realized that he was going to regret accommodating Murata in the castle. Yuuri turned to look at Conrad who seemed to be a bit concerned after his words.

“We thought Wolfram was with His Majesty…” Gwendal gave a worried look to Conrad.

“Well, he isn’t with me,” Yuuri said. “Where is he, then?”

Conrad quickly stood up and went somewhere, leaving Yuuri to stare at the door. Yuuri turned to Gwendal.

“We don’t know where Wolfram is,” Gwendal said. “We have heard he was seen riding his horse outside the castle in the morning. We had been sure he came back and was with His Majesty.”

“So…” Yuuri drawled. “In other words, you want to say that Wolfram went missing? Can’t he be visiting some friend or… I don’t know!” Yuuri threw his hands, feeling more and more worried each second. Wolfram had never spent a night away from the castle. He would have at least told someone he was going to.

“Announce the search,” the king said after Gwendal shook his head in denial at his last question. “Question the servants then organize several parties and go searching for him,” he ordered, leaving the table, hardly having touched anything. 

“I’m gonna kill him for this,” Yuuri growled, and, to Gunter’s horror, took a bowl with noodles in his hand before going to the door.

“So, any news?” Yuuri asked Conrad while finishing eating. Holding the bowl in his palm, he followed Conrad who was almost running to the yard where Gwendal and Gunter were already organizing men for the searching party. There were about fifty men in the yard, the sparse light of the last sunrays disappearing behind high walls. Yuuri frowned after Conrad shook his head in denial and related to Yuuri what the maid told him: Wolfram didn’t say a word about where he was going.

Their heads turned to the gate. Wolfram urged his tired horse forward to the general. Wolfram looked like hell itself – his hair tousled, burnt here and there, his uniform torn and covered in ashes, his face one smeared mess. He stopped shortly when he reached Gwendal, Wolfram’s burning eyes falling on his brother.

“We are under attack! All men after me! General, get the fucking army and my bodyguards to the Hotamu lake surroundings!” Wolfram yelled out at Gwendal who immediately nodded and, not questioning for now, turned to his lieutenant general, already spilling orders. 

Wolfram jumped off his white foaming horse, pushed the nearest soldier off his horse and jumped into the saddle. Then Wolfram turned to the general again. “It’s the kingdom of Farington. The bastards somehow managed to get the whole army here! I hardly got my ass out of the forest,” he cursed.

Gwendal nodded. He turned to Gunter but Gunter was already giving orders about informing their allies about the attack and sending a message to Caloria to get their army behind the intruders. Gwendal turned his head to Conrad but Conrad was already organizing the soldiers. Gwendal loved when they all were so in tune with each other. No time to waste, then.

Gwendal jumped onto his horse.

“Wolfr…” Completely lost, Yuuri blinked while Gwendal and Conrad were already turning their horses towards the gate. He blinked again as Wolfram’s burning gaze fell on him.

“Your Majesty,” Wolfram quickly inclined his head, not really paying attention. “Secure the king!” he yelled at Yuuri’s bodyguards, tugging at the reins, turning his horse around and riding back to the gate. He knew that alone with these several men he would do nothing much except dying, but he couldn’t just sit idly.

“Your bodyguards?” Gwendal shouted over the noise, following his brother who was showing the way.

“They weren’t with me,” Wolfram shouted back. “When will the army be ready?” he shouted again.

The general frowned but there was no time for that. “After about one hour. My second-in-command will take care of that. We’ll meet near the forest.”

Wolfram cursed again. “Then meanwhile we’ll have to hold them up to prevent from coming further into the city. I think they used the taboo method – there’s no way they could have simply snuck that deep into the country!” he said to which Gwendal nodded, agreeing.

Yuuri brushed off someone’s hands that tried to usher him back into the castle. Instead he squeezed his already empty bowl into those hands. “Give me my horse!” Yuuri yelled. After his bodyguards just gazed at him, shifting from one foot to another, Yuuri realized that he really would have given half of the kingdom for a horse.

“Give me my fucking horse this instance or I’ll send you all on the road to Hades!” the king screamed in fury, feeling the majutsu starting course in and through his body, his hair lengthening.

Yuuri’s threats had always worked better than his orders, and, after one minute, he was saddling his horse, Morgif fastened at his side, his bodyguards trying to catch up with him while they all were rushing to draw level with the princes and their men in front of them.

Wolfram cursed after seeing Yuuri trailing along, but he knew that if Yuuri had decided on that, there was no way to change his mind. He just hoped that the king wouldn’t get himself killed.

While on top of a hill, already from far away Gwendal was able to see the smoke coiling low in the damp evening air. 

“Your doing?” the general shouted to Wolfram.

Wolfram nodded. “Yeah, I set the forest afire while defending myself. But it seems it had also worked in slowing them down. The surroundings must have become a slaughterhouse by now.” He faltered. “Actually I don’t think it’s wise to approach without the army… They’ll just hunt us down like rabbits.”

The general looked at his brother from aside. Like rabbits… Wolfram must have killed at least fifty of them to have managed escape and report to the castle. The general shrugged then turned around to look how the king was doing. “Well, in worst case, we have a one man army following us,” Gwendal muttered under his breath.

“There they are!” Wolfram shouted, motioning forward with his hand at the moving ground in front of them. “The scouts should be somewhere around; be careful!”

Gwendal followed Wolfram’s gesture, and his eyes set on a waving sea of green and brown. It was not a uniform, it was a camouflage. 

“How do you know it’s Farington?!” Conrad shouted to Wolfram, wondering how Wolfram had noticed them at all.

“I know what language I’m cursed at in!” Wolfram grinned. 

A fireball appeared in Wolfram’s right hand and then, with all his might, he threw it towards the moving sea. The fireball crossed the distance like lightning and exploded in the first ranks of the army. The men scattered around, leaving their dead and hurt comrades. Some of them were screaming and trying to put the fire on their clothes and hair out.

Gwendal stopped the horse and jumped to the ground; the ground, after the impact with his fist, starting to shake. A crack split the earth instantly, the tail of the crack turning into a huge gulf just at the other side of the army where most of the men had flocked from the first lines after Wolfram’s attack.

“Stop that killing this instance!” Yuuri roared, drawing the reins after finally catching up with them. “Get their superiors!”

Wolfram cast a sideway look at his king. “Your Majesty… Any plan how to do that?” he motioned at the army that was quickly moving forward.

Yuuri blinked at Wolfram. “Well…” The king’s gaze fell on the quickly approaching cavalry – they were obviously ordered to remove them out of the army’s way. The leaders were somewhere in the rest of that floating mass behind the cavalry. But to get there…and to find them and to capture them… It was impossible, and it would never work. And if he hesitated any longer, it would be not the army of the enemy he would need to be worried about, but their own skin and his own country and his own people lives. “Well…” Yuuri rubbed his forehead fervently.

“I see…” another fireball appeared in Wolfram’s palm. “Your Majesty, you should stay back – it would be a big problem if they captured His Majesty…” he said before throwing the fireball into the approaching cavalry.

TBC


	7. Part 7

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 7

Feeling like he’d been sitting in a cinema and watching a movie, Yuuri followed the events around him: the army was still moving, the cavalry still approaching, Wolfram’s fireballs were not accurate enough to hit them, and Gwendal’s earthquakes were also failing to keep them away.

Conrad urged his horse to Yuuri. “Your Majesty, Wolfram is right – it’s too dangerous here, you should come back to…” Conrad trailed off when Yuuri’s eyes set afire in anger at his words. Conrad turned his horse around and rode back to Wolfram’s side.

Wolfram launched the last fireball and tossed the nearest horseman off the saddle. He summoned a fire lion and sent it into the approaching cavalry. Screams and horror followed, the men being swallowed alive by the fire, others reeling in panic.

Wolfram drew his sword to meet the rest of the men who had survived the attack of the beast. They were almost here. The first man who launched at Wolfram was blocked by Gwendal and quickly taken care of by getting his throat slit and tossed off the horse.

Yuuri gagged at the sight. But it only became worse, Conrad, Wolfram and their soldiers meeting the rest of the cavalry. His own bodyguards had surrounded him in a tight circle.

The sounds of swords clashing, shouts, screams, the trample of hooves were overflowing the air. Yuuri drew his sword and urged his horse back as the ring of his bodyguards was breached. But he needn’t have worried – Wolfram’s sword found a way into the back of the man’s armor. Wolfram drew his sword back and turned to his left side to block a blade that was intending to take his head off. Yuuri watched one of his own bodyguards come to Wolfram's aid

“Retreat!” the general shouted.

Yuuri turned his head to Gwendal, but his questions were answered as a shower of arrows fell on them – they were already within reach of the shots. Yuuri’s hair stood on end as his bodyguard, who had been standing only a meter away from him, fell off the horse with an arrow protruding from his chest. 

Panicking, Yuuri urged his horse back, but out of the corner of his eye he caught an arrow piercing Wolfram, the blonde swaying in the saddle. Yuuri’s eyes blinked several times until he got out of the trance. It’s only his shoulder, only his shoulder, Yuuri chanted in his head, almost feeling sick with worry.

“Yuuri, you idiot!” Wolfram screamed, riding up to the king who was just sitting on his horse, frozen, the bodyguards torn between surrounding the king again or simply tugging him off the horse and throwing him over one of theirs. 

“Move, now! Get away from here!” Wolfram smacked Yuuri who was just staring at him.

As if in slow motion, Yuuri heard Wolfram yelp then saw him slide off the saddle and fall to the ground. Another arrow reached its target. Yuuri’s glassy eyes stared at the unconscious body on the trampled grass, at the tightly pressed blonde’s lips and his closed eyes, at a red thin streamlet appearing from behind Wolfram’s back. 

Nobody knew for sure what happened later. It was like the earth had exploded, the ground shook and the bolts of lightning started splitting the suddenly dark sky.

When Conrad, Gwendal and the rest of the soldiers had finally caught up with the situation and turned their horses back, it was already over, the stench of burnt flesh and death being carried by the angered winds over the place.

Yuuri sheathed Morgif and turned to the men who had just approached him and were temporarily rooted to the ground in shock. Yuuri’s blazing eyes fell on Wolfram then came back to the men. “Stop staring and do something before he dies!” he snarled at Conrad who overcame his stupor and hurried to his brother.

Wolfram blinked his eyes open as Conrad shook him by the shoulders. His blurry sight concentrated on his two brothers who were gazing at him in worry. 

“Ow! Ow! Damn, don’t… Ow!” Wolfram shouted while Gwendal was checking his wounds. “Fuck, don’t… Ow! Let go of me!” Wolfram squirmed in pain.

“Those are minor wounds; his left shoulder and a scratched side. He’s fine, just a bit disoriented,” Gwendal informed Yuuri. “It seems he had lost his consciousness after hitting his head on that stone,” he motioned at a small bloodied stone next to Wolfram’s head.

Yuuri cast a look at Wolfram. His burning gaze made Wolfram’s breath hitch and his emerald eyes widen. Yuuri turned away and jumped onto his horse. He nudged the horse towards the castle.

“I have just fucking annihilated an army for you,” the king threw over his shoulder before riding away.

XXXXX

Conrad sat down on a chair at Wolfram’s bed side. Wolfram had just recently woken up, and had his meal and Conrad wanted to question him. Wolfram had been brought to Gisela who had put him to sleep then pulled the arrows out and disinfected the wounds.

“Hey,” Conrad greeted his brother. “How do you feel?”

Wolfram tried to sit up and winced in pain. “Bad and even worse,” he whined.

Conrad just sighed. “Stay put. Gisela said that you would heal in no time. None of the wounds are serious.”

Wolfram glared at his brother but stopped in his attempts on sitting up. Resigned, he put his head back onto the pillow.

“How is Yuu…the king?” Wolfram asked. Yuuri had gotten him worried when he saw him last. And he hadn’t dropped from his “all mighty and crazed king” mode after everything was finished, no, Yuuri hadn’t fainted like usual. That in itself was disturbing – Yuuri had learned to control his power. And Yuuri was angry with him. Because of him Yuuri had been forced to do what he did – to kill. Yuuri, who had never hurt a fly, who hated using force, had destroyed the entire army…

Wolfram groaned and closed his eyes in horror. He could only imagine how Yuuri was feeling at the moment.

Conrad ruffled through his brown hair. “Yuuri seems to be a bit…depressed…off,” he admitted, knowing perfectly well that Wolfram would start blaming himself for this. “Wolfram, I wanted to ask you about the whole thing.”

Wolfram nodded. He opened his eyes to look at his brother. “I was bathing,” he started. “After that I went to the shore and to my horse and wanted to dress. The next thing I saw were two camouflage wearing soldiers in front of me. They were obviously scouts. They must have seen me and waited until I had enough and came to the shore on my own. As my uniform was fastened on the back of my horse they must have decided that I was just a random Mazoku kid; you know that Humans are easily confused by my younger appearance and rarely take me seriously. At first they only wanted to tie me up but then rendered to killing.

“After that I dressed in one of their uniforms and followed their footprints. You can imagine my surprise when I walked into an army. You know that the ones from Farington are of dark complexion, so the uniform I was wearing didn’t help a bit. They recognized me immediately, and I was chased after that in the forest for half of the day until I managed to get rid of most and lose the rest. You know the rest,” Wolfram finished.

Conrad looked at Wolfram after a pause. “I’m angry with you, Wolfram. How could you simply leave the castle, without your bodyguards, without telling anything to anyone? You are not a brat anymore. How could you have pulled a stunt like this? It’s all good and well when it ends well, but…” he just shook his head reclining into the chair.

“I’m sorry,” Wolfram said.

“No “sorries” will help. You’d better make sure this doesn't happen again,” Conrad told him. 

Wolfram nodded. “How are things with Farington?” he asked.

“The kingdom of Farington surrendered; there was nothing they could do after their main army had been destroyed. The rest of them simply fled and now our soldiers are hunting them down all over the country. Gwendal and Gunter are busy sending over soldiers and politicians; organizing a new government in Farington and making new treaties with Farington’s neighbors…” Conrad related.

“So far so good…” Wolfram drawled. “Now no one will ever think about attacking us.” He frowned slightly. “But that had cost Yuuri dearly…”

“It had been his choice after all…” Conrad said.

XXXXX

Yuuri looked at the other side of the huge bed. It was empty. It was the third day after coming back to Shin Makoku that he was sleeping alone.

Yuuri let out a deep sigh and fell back onto his pillows. Each time he closed his eyes, the scenes from the field replayed itself. He didn’t have nightmares. He was probably too worn out to have them. He was sure that the events would catch up with his heavy mind. But it wasn’t that right now.

It had been different this time. Something had snapped inside him as usual, but this time he was able to feel and see, think and take measures. His senses had been muddled, but he knew perfectly what he had been doing. He consciously did what he did.

And there he was, back in the castle, in his chambers, in his bed, like nothing had happened. If not for the never-ending run of feet behind the heavy doors, if not for the scared glances at his side, hushed voices and people turning into wallpaper when he passed, if not for the empty bed, he could easily think he had never done anything.

He hadn’t seen Wolfram after that happening. He was ashamed to. He knew Wolfram was fine and recovering quickly. He was ashamed for the words he had said to Wolfram. He was ready to apologize to him any time, but it was clear that Wolfram didn’t want to see him – if that first night Wolfram had to sleep in his own chambers, later he could have came back to sleep here, as he was used to. But Wolfram didn’t. Neither did he come on this night. 

That Wolfram started calling him “His Majesty” on the battlefield didn’t disturb him, it had just felt weird. A battlefield was a place that left enough space only for ranks and obeying orders. Wolfram had started calling Gwendal, his own brother, “general” after all. But still, it had felt weird. He felt funny enough when Conrad used his title, but Wolfram…it was just… Well, yes, it did disturb him…he should finally admit that. The whole thing, the whole thing that had happened on the battlefield… It was just…

Yuuri glared at the ceiling.

Why the fuck did he feel more worried about Wolfram’s feelings and Wolfram not coming over to sleep in his bed instead of being worried about the whole army he had sent to hell?!

“Ah crap, I’m fucked up,” Yuuri groaned, hiding his face between his hands.

XXXXX

Yuuri had been gathering his courage to visit Wolfram for almost half of the next day and when he finally had enough of it, he went to Wolfram’s chambers. At least he had tried to. Just as he was near the door leading to Wolfram’s room, a voice stopped him.

Yuuri blinked at Kyota Docharo who had suddenly blocked his way. Yuuri’s bodyguards tensed up, more of them rushing into the corridor to surround their king.

“Your Majesty,” the blue-haired man bowed shortly, “can I speak freely to His Majesty?”

Yuuri nodded reluctantly. He could feel trouble brewing.

“You sonofabitch!” Kyota yelled after he had gotten the king’s permission. “How could have you let Wolfram get injured?! And you call yourself a king?! You can’t even call yourself a man! - You weren’t even able to protect your damn fiancé!” he screamed at Yuuri’s wide-eyed face.

“Kyota…you are very loud…”

Yuuri’s and Kyota’s heads turned to the door that led to Wolfram’s chambers. They were open, Wolfram heavily leaning with his uninjured shoulder on the door. He was in his new blue pajamas, the bandages thick underneath them.

“Kyota, come here,” Wolfram muttered, motioning for the blue-haired man.

Kyota shot up to Wolfram who then let go of the door. “Kyota, it isn’t wise making an enemy out of your king…” Wolfram whispered into Kyota’s ear after the long-haired man leaned to him to support him and to help him walk over back into his chambers. “Not to mention that he’s the most powerful man in the world…”

“Whatever,” Kyota hissed, seating Wolfram carefully onto the bed. He quickly squatted down in front of Wolfram. “I was worried sick - you know how the rumors get distorted. At first it was said that you were dead, then that you had lost your arm and other nonsense. I arrived as fast as I could!”

“I know you did,” Wolfram chuckled then winced at the pain in his right side. “Well, you see that I’m fine,” he smiled.

“You call that fine, Wolfram?” Kyota motioned at Wolfram’s bandages and his burnt hair. “You had almost gotten killed!”

“But I didn’t, so stop this nonsense,” Wolfram said, fidgeting, feeling Yuuri’s heavy gaze on them from the doorway.

“You know this is not about that!” Kyota flared up. “If it were me, I…”

“…Would lock me in a golden cage, wouldn’t you?” Wolfram snickered silently. “That’s why, Kyota. That’s why it doesn’t work between us. I’m not a porcelain doll!”

Kyota opened his mouth, but then pressed his lips shut. Then he suddenly leaned to Wolfram’s left ear. “It’s only natural to want to protect a beloved.” He frowned. “Don’t tell me that shit, Wolfram. You had been sick worried about that pathetic excuse of a fiancé,” he motioned with his head at Yuuri who still was lingering at the doorway, “hadn’t you? Hadn’t you wanted to simply take him off the field and run as fast as you could?” he leaned away to look at Wolfram’s face. “I know all of your excuses, Wolfram von Bielefeld, they don’t work on me,” he said after Wolfram lowered his eyes, not meeting Kyota’s sapphire gaze.

Yuuri could feel anger gathering inside him. Kyota was manifestly ignoring his king, actually had just told him to go to hell and now was acting affectionate and familiar towards his fiancé right in front of him! After he had taken measures of instructing and punishing several soldiers, there were no such incidents like staring at Wolfram and drooling anymore. Maybe Wolfram was a little angry that now the servants and soldiers rather passed him making a circle, afraid to touch him, but it had worked. And now some guy who didn’t even belong here, was deliberately acting like this to belittle the king’s authority.

It was obvious that Kyota was more than a mere friend. No friend would look at Wolfram like that, no friend would be so attentive and gentle, no friend’s hands would be so familiar with Wolfram’s body, and no friend would brush that blond lock off Wolfram’s forehead like Kyota did.

And Wolfram was accepting all of that attention, a bit flustered but smiling. They had also been talking about him, Kyota motioning at him, and Wolfram’s emerald eyes meeting his uneasily.

Yuuri crossed his arms over his chest, closed the door and leaned demonstratively on it while trying to give off the coldest and most discontent vibes he was able to. He could understand that Kyota was worried about Wolfram, but hell…the man was crossing all boundaries, and he was not in the mood for games.

From the bed, where he sat, Wolfram’s gaze fell on Yuuri again, taking in the king’s pose. “Kyota, you’d better go,” the prince muttered softly. “He looks pissed. Loves me or not, he’s the king, and you are behaving impudently… He might punish you…”

Kyota turned his head to give a dark look at Yuuri.

“Stop it, moron!” Wolfram jabbed Kyota in the ribs. “Go to Gunter and ask for accommodations then, if you want, you can visit me in the evening. But please, don’t go messing around with Yuuri…”

“Fine,” Kyota threw his hands, giving up. “As you wish.” He stood up.

Wolfram shut his eyes and slapped himself on the forehead when Kyota snorted while passing Yuuri, and Yuuri threw the most cold look he was able to. No, really, like damn roosters!

Yuuri moved away from the door to let Kyota leave. He turned to the prince when the door closed behind the insolent guy. The king walked over to Wolfram’s bed and sat down on the chair that stood next to the bed, just as Conrad left it a day ago.

Reclining into the chair and getting comfortable, Yuuri was hoping that the bastard wasn’t going to challenge him over Wolfram because then he’d just use the opportunity to beat the crap out of Kyota, which Wolfram wouldn’t like.

Yuuri seemed tired, Wolfram noticed. The king probably slept poorly. Wolfram had been afraid that Yuuri wouldn’t manage to cope with the burden of guilt that fell on him and something might happen. He felt calmer now, after seeing Yuuri – it didn’t seem that it was too bad.

“I’m sorry – he’ll leave soon,” Wolfram sighed as the king was silent, just gazing at Wolfram’s covers and the pale and delicate fingers that were grasping them.

“Don’t apologize for him,” Yuuri said.

Silence settled again, fell like old foul smelling dust. It contaminated every surface it could reach, the bed, the clothes, a small bedside-cabinet at Wolfram’s bed, the bluish wallpaper and several pictures, the heavy oak table, the fluffy carpet on the floor, and then it reached the skin and soaked into the bones, the increasing thickness of it soon making it hard to breathe. 

“I understand that you are angry, and I’m sorry for the words I said then,” Yuuri finally moved the dust in the dead silence. “Nothing is your fault. Actually if not for you, they would have… things would have been much worse. I’m sorry,” Yuuri repeated. “It had been my choice. I have no right to blame you for that.”

Wolfram stared at Yuuri’s tired face and his shaking hands then couldn’t hold it anymore. Yuuri was worried about him, meanwhile Yuuri had so many other things to worry about… He knew Yuuri had tried to hold everything together inside him, but Yuuri was only human, like all of them.

Wincing in pain, gritting his teeth and shedding the tears he had refused to shed earlier, the prince moved to embrace Yuuri. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry you had to do that. I’m sorry you had to live through that,” he cried for them both. 

Yuuri sighed, snuggling his face in Wolfram’s neck. “Nothing can be changed now. I’ll live with that sin and the cries of those men for the rest of my life. Like you all do. I’ll cope with that, Wolfram. You don’t need to worry. It hurts, true, it hurts so much I can hardly breathe but people live with that. They cover that under such loud words like “duty”, “fate”, “necessity” and “fatherland”. But it’s only killing all of that, Wolfram. Only…taking lives…” Yuuri sobbed suddenly, his self-control crumbling.

Wolfram felt hot scalding tears fall on his skin as Yuuri’s body shook with sobs. He held Yuuri while they both cried. He had wanted to be strong for Yuuri, had wanted to be able to soothe Yuuri but now all he could feel was Yuuri’s pain that overwhelmed his senses, and he felt incredibly stupid because of that. Felt stupid and angry at himself that he wasn’t able to stop crying and was no use at all.

“You smell very nice…” Yuuri said after some time. He let go of Wolfram who chuckled at his words. 

Wolfram wiped his tears then went back to the bed. They sat in silence of sniffling, embarrassed coughing and wiping tears for some time, but this time it was another kind of silence – the kind that enveloped one in warmth and felt comfortable.

“Do you still love me, Wolfram?” Yuuri asked.

Wolfram nodded. Yuuri nodded, too. 

“I’m leaving the day after tomorrow, then. Now, never as before I need that. I’ll think everything over,” Yuuri said then. “Kyota may stay,” he added. “He seems to be a fine guy,” the king chuckled. “I’m glad you have someone like him.”

Wolfram shrugged, smiling. “He can be a pain in the ass, though…”

Yuuri smiled, too. He wanted to say that it was always nice to have someone to worry about oneself, but then realized that it wasn’t exactly true in this case: the way Wolfram worried about him always left him feeling guilty, and he supposed that it was the same between Kyota and Wolfram.

“Where’s that horrible nightie of yours?” Yuuri asked instead. “Not that I’m missing it,” he waved his hands in front of him, “It’s that I hardly remember you wearing anything different,” he motioned at Wolfram’s new pajamas. 

“Well, the nightie had a horrible accident…”

“Thank the gods,” Yuuri exhaled, relieved. “What accident?”

“I burnt it,” Wolfram grinned. “On a stick in the yard,” he added. “Was quite a sight! Gunter thought I went mad.”

“Ehh…” Yuuri blinked. He didn’t think Gunter’s thoughts strange. “But you liked that pinkie…”

Wolfram rolled his eyes. “I hated it. Couldn’t stand the damn thing. But you seem to think about me only like some substitute for a woman, so I lowered myself even to that…” he admitted.

Yuuri stayed silent for some time then nodded. He didn’t know what to add to the prince’s words– everything Wolfram had said was true. Except for one thing, but now it wasn’t time. He also understood another thing – Wolfram was sure that after returning to the castle, everything to do with the engagement would be over. And Wolfram was telling him about it, lifting that heavy burden off his shoulders and saying that he was ready to accept that.

XXXXX

The last couple of days flew past in a blink, and Yuuri found himself in the yard, sitting on a horse, Morgif at his side, both of them ready for the journey. He was also taking Yozak with him – the man was a treasure, perfectly adapting to any situation and knowing the country far and wide. They also took one horse for all their goods. Yuuri thought that it might attract unwanted attention from the thieves but he was also sure that he and Yozak were more than ready to deal with that.

Yuuri looked at the people who gathered to see him off. There was Kyota too, standing at Wolfram’s side. The guy’s gaze no more hostile towards him, but not that friendly either. Kyota was ready to fight until the end.

There was nervousness wafting from the entire group, only Wolfram radiating calmness. It appeared that in the end it was only Wolfram who fully understood him. 

The blonde had almost recovered from his wounds and was freely moving around, his quick healing surprising everyone around. Yuuri wondered if that was because of the healing majutsu he spread over Wolfram’s wound every opportunity he had.

Yuuri raised his head to look at the blonde’s hair. Wolfram had considerably shortened his hair to get rid of the dark burnt places. But that didn’t actually do anything to affect Wolfram’s good looks; his emerald eyes were now seen better.

Biding his farewells, Yuuri ruffled through his own hair that had been dyed brown; he was also wearing brownish contact lenses. Promising to write messages, Yuuri waved and turned his horse towards the gate.

Wolfram gazed at Yuuri’s back until he disappeared behind the gate. Yuuri had gone to look for some answers, to sort his feelings out… Yuuri was tired of this charade, tired of him weighing Yuuri down. And now with what happened with the army… Yuuri had many things to contemplate on.

Yuuri had always stressed the fact that they were both boys. Wolfram didn’t understand that, he couldn’t understand the problem in that. Yuuri had said many times that he liked him and that he was dear to him, but the fact was that Wolfram was a boy.

Wolfram gave the gate one last glance and started walking away. 

Well, it was not like he was going to stop being a boy…so it was all said by that. He had been pursuing Yuuri long enough. He had no regrets about that – he had tried everything out, and Yuuri didn’t react to anything. 

Yuuri was riding down his own path, and he had to find his own.

TBC


	8. Part 8

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 8

Kyota watched sleeping Wolfram’s face. The blonde looked like an angel while asleep. Long, dark eyelashes rested against soft skin. Several blonde locks were falling over the closed eyes, the full lips open a little as if expecting a good-morning kiss. Although, Kyota remembered Wolfram’s promises to break his nose if he dared.

The sensual picture ruined, Kyota leaned away from Wolfram. With a heavy sigh, he sat down on the chair next to the blonde’s bed. And he still couldn’t figure out what Yuuri had to get the prince’s attention like he had. Wolfram had never been fascinated by power, so there must have been something else…

He thought his king a fool. Half of the kingdom was swooning after Wolfram von Bielefeld, and Yuuri had rejected him. Of course he knew he was being influenced by his feelings toward the blonde to think like that, but Yuuri’s excuse… The king was an idiot – to refuse Wolfram because he was male… 

It hurt him to see Wolfram pining after another man but things were how they were. A week had passed since Yuuri had left, and Wolfram’s sad eyes and half-hearted smiles were hurting him more than the thought of Wolfram wanting another man. This was what had become of him during those years he had been trying to win Wolfram’s heart… Yes, Wolfram had been right – he was a fool.

Wolfram shifted in the bed and muttered something. After several seconds his eyelashes fluttered, and he yawned loudly. His emerald eyes widened after noticing Kyota at his side.

“Huh?” Wolfram blinked at him.

“Good morning to you too,” Kyota chuckled.

Wolfram rubbed his face then sat up in the bed. He yawned again. “Did something happen? Why are you in my room?”

Kyota shook his head. “No, nothing’s happened. I just felt like it. Actually I have a suggestion for you.”

Interested, Wolfram looked at him. Kyota felt his heart uplift – after Yuuri had left, Wolfram hardly showed interest in anything. 

“Let’s go to Delam? My brother misses you too,” he added before Wolfram could start protesting. “How long has it been since you visited us? And…I can’t see you so depressed…”

To Kyota’s surprise Wolfram didn’t protest. The blonde nodded and gave him a bright smile. The next thing he knew he was in the blonde’s firm hug.

“It’s wonderful to wake up to something like this!” the prince said. “Thank you!”

Smiling, Kyota returned the hug. “My pleasure, Wolfram. Had I known, I would have suggested this long ago…”

XXXXX

Wolfram turned around to look at the receding towers of the castle through a small window at the back of the carriage. He had said that he’d come back after a month. Probably. He wasn’t that sure about that. There was nothing he needed to do or anyone who would wait for him. He had lived with his mother from the day he had been born, but why that was… True, he loved his mother and his brothers, but they all had their lives, and he was thinking what he should do with his.

Practically, he didn’t fulfill any role at all in the castle, and his title was empty. Only a word. He was only a soldier and very young and inexperienced at that. He was thinking that maybe he needed to go back to his father, to his county and finally do something useful. But he couldn’t stand his father and was sure that they would start bickering over this and that as soon as he set his foot in his father’s castle. His father was pretty much the same as him, only five times worse. He couldn’t understand how his mother and his father could have… Actually he didn’t like thinking about that, but it was clear that it had been only a one nightstand or something… Must have been.

Wolfram turned his face away from the small window and looked at Kyota, who was sitting on the seat opposite him. Kyota was giving him a slightly concerned look, so he smiled reassuringly. Kyota was probably the only close friend he had. There was Yuuri, of course, but that was a bit different, and right now he didn’t want to think about that.

Kyota’s mother, Katarina, was a very close friend of Cecilie’s. After her first husband had died in the war, most of her time she had spent together with Cecilie in Blood Pledge Castle. Soon Kyota was born, and after two years he followed. They had spent their childhood together. Some time later, Kyota’s brother, Arisu, was born. Then Katarina’s brother died, and, as he had no wife or children, she came back and overtook the county and her brother’s work. 

Wolfram wasn’t sure how their friendship had turned into this strange relationship, but after some time of playing hide-and-seek, building sand castles and running around while playing war and heroes with wooden swords, he had noticed Kyota’s gaze linger longer on him, the other boy blushing after their eyes met. Kyota matured faster than him, and he was still quite clueless when one day the older boy pressed their lips together. After he just stared at Kyota, confused, his friend blushed fiercely and stammered something apologetic. Scared by his reaction, Kyota had avoided him for several days.

Not understanding the situation, he had asked his mother what it was all about and why Kyota was sulking in his room. Now, so many years later, it made Wolfram chuckle and blush at his incomprehension. He had been rather naive as a child. He remembered sitting on his mother’s knees wide-eyed, his face burning while she was explaining the whole thing with birds and bees. He could remember he felt a little sick and excited at the same time, so many of his questions finally getting answers. 

His hair on end, panicking, he had jumped off his mother’s knees before she came to the middle of the story about her and his father spending a night together, scurried to his room and locked his door.

Kyota came to him in the evening, very likely urged by Cecilie. It was then the first time they kissed. He was curious; Kyota was in love. It was awkward at first as neither of them had kissed anyone before. He wasn’t sure what he should do with Kyota’s tongue in his mouth or if it should be in his mouth at all. Kyota seemed to be very excited, so he just went with it. He remembered becoming a little dizzy, Kyota’s hands touching his bare skin under his shirt. 

They didn’t do anything more than kissing. Kyota knew that he needed a couple of years to catch up with him. Kyota had been a horny teenager who thought only about sex, and he had still been more interested in flying kites and whittling. Kyota had given him time, instead of using his naiveté. And he had always respected Kyota for that. And he knew that Kyota had always regretted that. The time Kyota gave him had made him realize that he didn’t love Kyota. He liked Kyota, that was true, but Kyota was paying for more than he was able to give to Kyota. He wouldn’t have minded sharing several nights or even months with Kyota in bed, but he knew that Kyota was expecting more, and it would only hurt them both later. They had talked, Kyota begging to give him a chance, but he had refused. 

Would it have been different otherwise? He didn’t know. Maybe he’d have fallen in love with Kyota with time. Maybe, but he doubted – usually it went the opposite way. And then Kyota went away with his mother and brother after his uncle died. His mother married again, and they saw each other only from time to time.

Wolfram yelped as his head hit the sideboard of the carriage. He had dozed off. Wolfram’s eyes turned to glare at Kyota in the darkness, who was chuckling at his misfortune.

“I think I’d prefer riding a horse to this…” Wolfram muttered, rubbing his forehead.

“Not four days straight,” Kyota chuckled again.

Wolfram ruffled through his blond locks again to search for bumps but the only one was that from earlier when he had fallen off the horse during the attack. It was still tingling if he made sudden movements, like jumping or shaking his head, but it was getting better.

Wolfram wasn’t that sure if it was such a good idea to spend that much time in a closed space with Kyota. He knew Kyota would never give up on him, and it was rather…weird and maybe a little disturbing. They had been best friends once, but later it just turned out… Kyota’s gazes were hot against his skin and made him squirm. He wondered what it would feel like to have Yuuri look at him like that.

Wolfram frowned at the thought and turned his head to the door with a small window to look at the passing scenery. It was darkening already, but it was lighter outside than in the carriage. Kyota said that they were going to stay at an inn that was still several kilometers away. He didn’t stay at inns very often and hoped that this one wouldn’t be too bad. Sometimes it was better to sleep in a tent or in a carriage. Actually they had enough of a place here. Kyota could sleep on his seat opposite him and he could sleep on his. It would be hard of course, but he had slept worse and wasn’t that picky anymore.

“Wolfram?”

“Umm?” Wolfram turned around, his green eyes concentrating on Kyota.

“How was all that army able to breach the border unnoticed?” Kyota asked the question he had been dying to have an answer to.

Wolfram sighed and leaned back on the end of the carriage. “It’s a taboo subject.” He groaned inwardly at the look of excitement that appeared on Kyota’s face. Kyota was the same as him, and Kyota knew perfectly well that he was going to tell him.

“They used…I don’t actually know what to call it…it’s not really magic,” Wolfram started, resigned. “It’s an old transportation method and it’s nasty – one needs to kill about thirty people. Well, that depends on their age,” he nodded at Kyota’s disgusted face.

“Then one needs to get the bodies in a circle. The souls that are leaving the bodies urge the gate to open. There are several skilled persons who can manipulate those gates. If you enter the gate and are skilled enough to control the flow, you can transfer yourself to any place you wish.”

Kyota was silent for some time. “I have never heard of it before,” he muttered after a while. “Where did you hear about it?” he asked.

“From Gunter. He said he had witnessed it once. I wasn’t bold enough to ask for details…” Wolfram said, shuddering. “I’d never use it anyway.”

“Neither would I. It’s disgusting,” Kyota snorted. “They say that everything is allowed in a war, but seriously… To kill your comrades that…”

“Nobody says it has to be comrades. They might have simply taken anyone. Like outlaws or criminals and killed them like this instead of hanging them...” Wolfram said. “But yeah, it just feels wrong and creepy.”

“Let’s not talk about this,” Kyota motioned at the almost completely dark window. “Soon we’ll reach the inn and I don’t want us to spoil our appetite,” he closed the subject.

“You think there will be something edible? You really are an optimist,” Wolfram laughed at his friend.

Kyota shook his head, smiling. “Actually I stayed in this inn last time I traveled home. And the food was nowhere as bad as you expect it to be. And if it’s really bad we have taken enough food with us. It’s not like I’d ever let you starve,” he winked, chuckling.

Wolfram only rolled his eyes and turned his head back to the dark window. Actually he couldn’t see anything except his own hazy reflection on the window. Sighing, he turned back. He startled as Kyota snapped his fingers to lighten the carriage. 

Kyota cocked his head to his shoulder. “You’ve become rather jumpy…” The fire in his hand flared higher.

Wolfram shrugged. There weren’t that many Mazokus who controlled fire. Besides himself and Kyota, he knew only two others, and one of them was Kyota’s mother, another Elisabeth. The contract with fire, like with any other element, depended on one’s character. Already by the chosen element one was able to tell much about the person wielding the power.

But the rarest was that of water that required to have a fluid and lively character. Always changing, always running, never stopping, always ready. Able to grant life and kill in one go. It required having a quite paradoxical character and understanding about life. And Yuuri had that. Besides Yuuri’s endless naivety, there was that iron core inside him that knew that some things had to be done. 

But Yuuri was growing, learning and shedding that layer of naivety. And that was happening very fast, unbelievably fast and it scared people around him. It wasn’t helping the situation that recently Yuuri had to annihilate an army on his own. In Wolfram’s eyes it was all very simple: Yuuri was at a stage where his mind had to catch up with his raging hormones, where Yuuri was breaching the line of childhood and entering puberty. Maybe to others it happened faster than to Yuuri, but Yuuri’s life took a dramatic turn after he had entered Shin Makoku, and then confusion, hesitation from Yuuri’s side followed. Now Yuuri was catching up with himself.

But fire was able to kill and save lives, too. And earth produced nourishing and earthquakes that killed. Was Yuuri that special? Was he? It all depended on how well one was able to feel his element. Not many after making the contract were able to ascend high enough to be able control it masterfully.

Wolfram’s eyes rose from the small fireball in Kyota’s palms to the window as the carriage halted. There were some lights seen through it. They had arrived.

Wolfram ignored Kyota’s hand that the older boy held out to him to help him out from the carriage. The prince jumped down off the step to the ground and looked around. They were in the center of the town. As it was drizzling and late, it was empty, only the lights seen in several windows.

The inn was big, three floors above the ground. Differently from what Wolfram had feared, it looked presentable enough. The voices and noise were outspreading through the walls to the outside.

While most of Kyota’s suite was taking care of the horses and the carriage, Wolfram and three Wolfram’s bodyguards followed Kyota into the inn. After opening the door they were hit by a whim of hot damp air, their noses scrunching at the smell of alcohol and mixed various food smells that were not appetizing at all.

Kyota sent one of his servants to make arrangements for the night then took Wolfram to the farthest corner of the inn and seated the blonde there. It was not only because of the smells floating around - it was also because the two of them were getting curious looks. Wolfram stood out everywhere, and he himself got enough attention. The two of them were making quite a pair.

Wolfram wanted to send one of his bodyguards to ask what was on the menu today, but Kyota held him up by saying that it was either some kind of soup with sheep or pork, some fried potatoes and boiled or fried eggs. Then Wolfram settled on fried potatoes and fried eggs. He also ordered a mug of tea. He didn’t want to risk eating anything else and upsetting his stomach.

Kyota complimented the prince’s choice. He himself ordered soup, fried eggs and potatoes.

Kyota’s soup arrived first. Both boys took a very close look at the swimming chunks of meat in it. The smell was weird. Kyota turned to his suite that was sitting at the next table and waiting for their meals to arrive.

“Anyone want to try it out?” Kyota asked.

The men’s wary looks lowered to the bowl of steaming soup in front of their landlord. They proceeded with staring at it for several seconds.

“Give me that,” Wolfram rolled his eyes, and from across the table grabbed the spoon from Kyota’s hand and pushed the bowl over to himself. He quickly dipped the spoon and, not leaving himself a chance to change his mind, shoveled some of the liquid and floating morsels into his mouth.

Kyota watched the prince’s face. He had expected it to drain from color, and maybe it did, but in that half light of candles and kerosene lamps it was hard to tell. Wolfram chewed then swallowed.

“It’s fine. Stinks a bit, but the taste is bearable,” the blonde said. He pushed the bowl back over to Kyota. “It’s with pork.”

“Your boldness impressed me,” Kyota said smiling. He took the spoon in his hand. “I doubt you’d have done that several years ago…” he started eating.

The blonde gave him a puzzled look then shrugged. Soon his and Kyota’s fried eggs arrived and he dug in.

After Wolfram had approved the soup, Wolfram’s three bodyguards and several of Kyota’s men ordered it. Soon the inn was drowning in the slurping and chewing of hungry men. After the hunger and thirst was a little quenched, friendly chitchats and laughter started.

Kyota grinned at the blonde opposite him who was leaning on the backrest of his chair, almost purring after having filled his stomach with warm meal and a glass of wine Kyota had ordered for him. Wolfram had that look on his face that was telling that Wolfram felt relaxed and comfortable. 

Kyota looked around in search for his servant who had arranged the rooms for them. Wolfram was going to fall asleep on him.

Wolfram noticed Kyota’s searching look and shook his head. “Let’s stay here for a bit longer? Can I get some more wine?”

Kyota’s dark eyebrow rose but he didn’t comment on anything. “Of course you can,” he nodded and sent one of his men to get them more drinks. “But don’t overdo it or otherwise you won’t be able to travel further. You don’t feel that well in carriages and getting your head dizzy and pounding isn’t a wise thing to do,” he said to Wolfram.

“Yes, mommy,” Wolfram chuckled. “Actually carriages don’t bother me anymore. After endlessly being on ships, carriages are no longer a problem.”

“On ships?” Kyota’s blue eyes widened. “You can’t set a foot on a ship without feeling sick…” He turned to his servant who had brought the drinks.

“Uh-huh,” Wolfram nodded, taking the mug Kyota had held out to him. He sipped slowly. Frowning at the taste, but swallowing, he nodded again. “I have been stalking Yuuri it seems. Things I used to do for him… Ships, boats, rafts…” he shivered. “Several years ago I would have never thought that I’d willingly set my foot on anything that is floating above water…”

“He was dragging you around on ships?” Kyota’s eyes darkened.

Wolfram shook his head in denial, laughing. “No, the opposite - he’d have preferred that I wouldn’t have followed him. It was my own choice,” his voice turned bitter at the end.

“Wolfram, let’s not talk about Yuuri, okay?” Kyota frowned. “I hate it when you talk fondly about other men, and in addition to that it makes you depressed.”

Wolfram chuckled. “Always straightforward.”

“Aren’t you, too?” Kyota rolled his eyes, taking a sip from his mug.

“You know what the real problem is?” Wolfram asked after a minute of silence between them. He continued after Kyota gave him a questioning look, “We are too alike. I have never ceased to wonder how it had worked out for you… In my case… You know that saying: “opposites attract”? I think I felt the need to supplement myself with something, and you… We are too similar.” 

“In other words you say that there’s nothing you could take from me?” Kyota sipped his wine. “Aren’t you being selfish, Wolfram?”

“Hmmm…” Wolfram wondered. “Probably,” he nodded. “But, if you accuse me of being selfish… Wouldn’t your feelings towards me make you a narcissist?”

Silently, Kyota looked at the very bottom of his mug. “Wolfram, where’s that delicate flower I left behind when I went to Delam?” he raised his striking blue eyes to the blonde.

“It had withered away,” Wolfram said.

XXXXX

It was more than a week after Yuuri left the castle. He and Yozak were riding down a sloppy path, Yozak leading the way, and Yuuri following, the third horse trailing after Yuuri, its reins fastened to Yuuri’s saddle knob. It was darkening already. The drizzling weather and angry sky were threatening to turn into a serious storm. The two of them were hoping to soon come across a tavern or at least some friendly hut and spend the night there.

“Now, tell me, who was that idiot who thought that loafing around in the country during the rain season was a good idea?” Yuuri asked.

Yozak turned around to look at Yuuri. “You, Your Majesty,” he replied, grinning.

“That was a rhetorical question,” Yuuri frowned at him, raising his finger to emphasize his words. “You are not supposed to answer that when your king is asking.” Then Yuuri chuckled. “I think a new population of lice has just been born in my hair,” he sighed, scratching his head. “And all those bugs in the last tavern we stayed… There was quite a bunch of them in my mattress… I think that now my skin is as holey as a colander…

“No, seriously, where have you seen an idiot who goes off hell knows where instead of comfortably sitting in a castle and lying in his king-sized bed? This is a rhetorical question again,” Yuuri raised his finger when Yozak opened his mouth.

“Yozak?”

“Ummm? I mean, what Your Majesty?”

“Your hair is much longer than mine, and you never tie it up… Can it be that I got lice from you?”

“Ummm…” Yozak shrugged. “Might be,” he scratched his head furiously. “But I got used to them long ago. I think that what we have is not lice but some skin complaint we caught in that pre-last tavern…”

“You surely are enjoying this…”

“I just see it as a small nice round trip,” Yozak grinned, scratching his head.

Yuuri sighed. True, the first six days were fun. He was excited about the trip, he loved riding, the weather was wonderful, they cooked and ate the food they themselves hunted; well, Yozak hunted for them. They spent nights in a tent they would set for themselves. They met many interesting people, he saw many fascinating places. The scenery was wonderful – so many places untouched by people, faring and existing as they existed thousands of years ago. 

They would stop by the rivers and lakes several times to bathe and enjoy the sun, and he was happy. Almost. At first his mind just took a needed rest and simply shut down on all problems he needed to solve. He was pushing all thoughts in the back of his mind. But, as said, several days passed and with such a great amount of time on his hands, the only thing that was left to him was to think.

And then came rain. It was wet and unpleasant and gray and dreary. They rode through the day and stayed in the inns during nights. The inns were fun and okay, except that the food was horrible and he got sick several times after trying it. He wasn’t used to such food like fried radish, boiled carrots and the rest of that weird stuff with some fat chunks of sheep floating in his bowl.

There was also the factor of sleeping in the inns and taverns. Some of them were really…shabby, and now he was paying the price for it.

Yuuri reached under his hood to scratch his head again. After having furiously scratched his head for ten minutes nonstop, he had finally decided. Fuck pride, everyone knew that he was a wimp anyway. He simply wanted a hot bath and normal food.

“Yozak, we are going home,” Yuuri said.

Yozak let out a loud laugh that was caught and carried around the trees and up the hill by rising winds. Yozak completely agreed with Yuuri, but it was dark and they had to spend the night somewhere. Yozak rose in his saddle to take a better look around, but he couldn’t see any signs of life. From his previous wanderings he could remember that there should be a town somewhere near, but he wasn’t exactly sure where and how much was left to it.

Yuuri yelped as a lightening seemed to strike just next to them. The startled horse trampled in place, and it took several minutes to Yuuri to calm it down. The wind picked up, and several minutes later it started to rain down heavily.

Yuuri and Yozak wrapped themselves tighter in their cloaks and pulled their hoods down so that only their chins were seen.

It was completely dark after a couple of hours, the rain pelting down unmercifully, and the two riders shivering in cold. Yozak was already thinking about setting up the tent, but then, in far distance, noticed a small twinkle. After riding further, the twinkle turned into many lights in windows. They had approached a town.

TBC


	9. Part 9

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 9

It was getting late, and Kyota was thinking that it was about time to take Wolfram upstairs to their rooms and go to sleep.

Kyota watched Wolfram from the corner of his eye. Even if he knew that there were no two identical persons in the world, he knew there was some truth in Wolfram’s words – they were really similar, but otherwise…Wolfram was wrong. They spent their entire childhood together, and he knew the blonde perfectly well. The same as Wolfram knew him, and that was giving Wolfram the impression of them being nearly identical. It wasn’t true.

But Wolfram matured and became more serious and open about his feelings while he was away. However, Kyota also knew that some of it was only on the outside. Normally the blonde wouldn’t have talked like this, but Wolfram was open because he was bitter, and the bitterness was making him spill his frustration. He hadn’t been insulted by anything Wolfram said, it wasn’t that it was something new all that Wolfram had said. In one way or another he had already encountered that earlier during the conversations they had when he had been trying to court Wolfram.

“C’mon, let’s go to sleep,” Kyota stood up when Wolfram lowered his emptied mug onto the table. The blonde reluctantly let go of his mug and stood up, too. He maneuvered through table and people, following Kyota who was leading the way upstairs. They climbed up to the second floor and started walking down a corridor.

“Here,” Kyota showed Wolfram the door that led to the blonde’s room. “I’d advise to station a guard at your door. At least not to get robbed. Our suites will be here, and here,” he motioned at the doors opposite theirs. He held out the key for Wolfram who took it. Kyota turned to the door that was next to Wolfram’s room.

“Kyota…”

The blue-haired man turned to Wolfram who was looking at him, the key already inserted in the lock.

“Thanks. For everything,” Wolfram said. Then he opened the door, motioned for his bodyguard to follow him in and closed it behind them.

Kyota sighed inwardly and started unlocking his room.

XXXXX

Wolfram slept poorly. In spite of being pleasantly buzzed, it took about two hours to fall asleep finally. And then he was attacked by images and dreams and tossed in his bed nonstop, hardly discerning between dreams and reality. It was until his own bodyguard shook him awake.

“Your Highness?”

Wolfram’s fickle look concentrated on the man’s face. “What?” Panting, the blonde let his head fall back onto the pillow. He rubbed his face dizzily. Alarmed, he raised his eyes to the man, as a cool palm pressed to his forehead.

“Your Highness seems to have a slight fever…” his bodyguard murmured, removing his hand.

Wolfram pressed his own hand to his forehead. “It seems fine to me,” he said, groping around for his cover that he had kicked off while tossing around.

“Maybe bring some hot tea?”

Wolfram snuggled back between the sheets and tucked himself in. He yawned. The bodyguard was not that much older than him and not once acted warmly and with care towards him. At first Wolfram had been worried that the guy might have a crush on him, but then it appeared that he already had a lover. That was genuine, and that’s why Wolfram liked the boy at his side. 

“Fine, if it will make your conscience lighter,” Wolfram muttered, already falling asleep.

The boy watched the blonde sleeping, his breathing becoming slower then just shook his head and went back to sleep on the couch.

XXXXX

“Wolfram?”

“Uhmm?” the blonde turned to his other side at the same time throwing the covers over his head to block all noises.

“Your bodyguard said that you have a slight fever. Do you want us to stay here for several days?” Kyota asked the bundle. “Wolfram,” the long-haired man frowned as there was no answer. He peeled the sheet off Wolfram’s head. Unceremoniously turning the blonde around with the rest of the covers, he pressed his palm to Wolfram’s forehead. It wasn’t all that hot.

Snorting, Wolfram smacked the hand away. He sat up and yawned loudly. Kyota was the only one allowed such familiarity with him.

Kyota chuckled at the rumpled blonde on the bed. “It’s only a slight fever. I’m sure you’ll sleep it off in a few hours.” A forced laugh left Kyota’s throat again. Wolfram didn’t look funny a bit…all that rumpled hair, creasy pajamas and sleepy looks in his emerald eyes…delectable. He simply wanted to eat Wolfram alive.

“I’m fine,” Wolfram yawned again. “Just a little bit lack of sleep. I’ll catch up with it in the carriage. Just take some more pillows.” 

Wolfram blushed brightly as after raising his eyes he met Kyota’s sapphire ones that were blazing with lust. He felt the urge to cover himself with his arms but at the same time the gaze made him hot. 

Kyota shook himself off the trance. He slightly inclined his head at Wolfram’s blushing face. “I’ll leave you to dress then,” he said before walking off the door.

Wolfram stared at the door that had closed behind Kyota’s back. Many stared at him like Kyota did, but only Kyota wanted all of him. Kyota saw him as one entity, with his looks and his character, with his bright smile and his running nose when he had a cold, with his temper and the stupidities he did from time to time, with all of his good and bad days.

Wolfram fell with his back onto the bed. Why couldn’t Yuuri want him like that? A deep frown set on Wolfram’s face at the thought. He smacked the thought away. He had promised himself not to think about Yuuri anymore. Wasn’t that’s why he had gone together with Kyota? Wasn’t that’s why he was giving Kyota and himself another chance?

XXXXX

The tavern was at the other end of the town, and Yuuri with Yozak rode down the empty and muddy road to get there. Everyone was staying indoors. 

Yozak and Yuuri left their horses to a sleepy watcher of the small stables of the tavern and went inside the tavern. It was hot and noisy inside, a mass of people celebrating something. Ale was streaming, strong song sounds raising here and there, cheers to the chief of the town and his newborn son were profusely offered.

Yozak and Yuuri fought their way through the swinging and drinking people to the counter. The owner claimed that there were no free rooms. Yozak could easily believe that it was truth, but he also knew that it was not exactly like this. After the owner saw a golden coin sparkle between Yozak’s fingers, the keeper suddenly remembered that he had one room spare.

After getting the room, putting all of their belongings there and locking the room, Yuuri and Yozak came back into the hall to have their late dinner. The revels were rocking at full go. The two of them were having trouble while looking for free places to sit down. Yuuri jumped back as a suddenly raised mug sloshed the third of its contents on the floor, just nearly missing him.

Finally they found where to land and Yozak went to get some food.

Yuuri looked around in the tavern once again. It was really packed inside. The smell of alcohol, sweat and unwashed bodies was overflowing his senses.

Yuuri’s eyes rose to the man who wanted to sit down in Yozak’s seat. Yuuri shook his head. “It’s taken – my friend will be back soon,” he said to the blond man who had spoken to him. His brown-haired friend was standing at his side, not looking particularly interested, his eyes skimming over the tavern further.

“Get lost, youngster,” the blond man snarled, not even thinking about leaving the table.

Yuuri glared at the blond. “Get lost yourself.”

The blond wanted to grab Yuuri by his front, and very likely to simply throw Yuuri off his seat, but it took Yuuri only a swift glance, and the man flew away from him, hitting the men at the table behind him. A bedlam followed but it calmed down pretty soon, and the man joined his newfound friends at the table. The four other men who had been sitting at the table together with Yuuri were gone in seconds.

Yuuri shrugged at the questioning and quite disturbed gaze Yozak gave him. The man set their plates with food on the table that had turned into one for two. He went off again to bring the rest of the food then sat down himself.

“I didn’t know Your Majesty was able to control the power…” Yozak drawled while shoveling some of his soup into his mouth.

“I’m not adept yet,” Yuuri said. “I think what happened was that after the original king finally left us in peace and stopped digging in my head, I automatically gained and merged the ability of the soul as it was supposed to be in first place without interference of the original king. I just wonder why it’s not only water that I can control. It seems that those are all four elements.” Yuuri fell silent. “Actually I haven’t said this to anyone… But I suppose everyone knows it anyway. I was told I used to do some pretty weird stuff after turning into that being… But I suppose Gunter didn’t inform me about the details because he thought it’s obvious…”

Yozak finished eating his soup and grabbed the chunk of fried meat. “Yes, Your Majesty is right. Actually Gunter didn’t say anything to Your Majesty not because he thought it’s obvious and Your Majesty knows it,” he shook his head. “The soul is unique because it has the contract with all powers: water, earth, fire and air. The main and most developed power is that of water. 

“There are more than several people who are able to make contract with several elements,” Yozak continued. “But there’s one thing. It’s an anomaly, an illness,” he nodded at Yuuri’s wide eyes. “Such souls, people, are unstable or turn unstable after making the contracts. People go mad. The same is with Your Majesty’s soul - it’s unstable. That’s why Conrad and others are worried and are on their guard. Nothing has happened so far but there’s always a possibility that… There had been incidents with the previous kings that…” Yozak shrugged, not finishing the thought.

Yuuri finished his soup silently. So this was why nobody had ever explained that to him. “Does Wolfram know?”

Yozak looked at the rest of the meat on the bone he had in his hand. “Wolfram? I wonder… No, I don’t think so,” he shook his head. “He’s already too…oversensitive to everything what concerns His Majesty, so probably nobody bothered to tell him. You know, they were very reluctant to let His Majesty go on this journey. After His Majesty destroyed the army… Let’s say that they think that it might be a sign of His Majesty starting to…”

 

Yuuri raised his currently brown eyes at Yozak. “But you don’t think so?”

Yozak shrugged. He threw the picked bone back into his plate. “I think Your Majesty did what You had to do, and they are acting like a bunch of cows.”

“Yozak?! Is that really you, Yozak?!”

Yozak and Yuuri whipped their heads around to spot two men standing a bit farther on the right.

“Armano! Kadira!” Yozak jumped from his seat and ran up to hug the two. “Goddamn, how many years have passed?!” he laughed, hugging his friends.

Soon the three of them came back to the table.

“And who is this pretty thing?” the brown-haired man whom Yozak had addressed “Armano” asked after looking at Yuuri. “I always knew you had a thing for young ones,” he turned to wink at Yozak who, noticing Yuuri’s wide eyes, waved his hands against himself in defense. 

The king refused to say a word and continued his meal.

“It’s Yuuri,” Yozak introduced him. “Armano,” he pointed at a quite handsome, brown-haired man. “Kadira,” he motioned towards the lavender-haired man, whose hair was tied up in a high ponytail and who actually reminded Yuuri of Gunter. “The two are good friends of mine. Long ago we served in the army together and later were comrades in arms.”

“So what are you up to?” Armano asked, plopping down at Yozak’s side. Kadira settled next to Yuuri.

“Just escorting Yuuri to his parents,” Yozak said. “There were more of us but in the middle of the journey we got attacked and the other guards were killed.”

Armano gave Yuuri a sympathetic glance.

“I have heard you serve the King now…” Kadira, who hadn’t said a word until now, spoke, his blue eyes giving Yozak a sardonic look. “You have time to run around with kids…?”

Yozak grinned. Kadira was a silent man but had a sharp mind. “It’s a special mission.”

Kadira shrugged. He stood up. “I’ll get something to eat for us,” he said to Armano and left for the counter.

Yozak’s eyes followed the sway of long lavender hair then turned to Armano. “You two still together? How many years now? Seven, eight?” he laughed.

“Nine,” Armano grinned widely. “It seems I still have it,” he winked at Yozak then turned to Yuuri who had an unreadable expression on his face. “So who is this kid? Now, now,” Armano waved his hands apologetically after Yuuri’s grim look given to him, “I was only joking at first.”

“He’s a son of one of the counts in Shin Makoku. He had been visiting his grandparents. As he’s friends with the King, the King decided to send me together with him,” Yozak proceeded with his tale.

Yuuri rolled his eyes inwardly. Yozak didn’t ever miss a beat. 

“I bet the King has just gotten fed up with you,” Armano laughed at Yozak.

“Might be,” Yozak, agreed, chuckling.

"He’s shy, isn’t he?” Armano looked at silent Yuuri who finished picking his bone and put it back on his plate.

“Not really,” Yozak shook his head in denial. “Rather the opposite…”

“Seriously?”

“Will you two stop talking about me like I’m an empty place?” Yuuri glared at the two.

“Oh, I get what you mean,” Armano nodded at Yozak. “He’s the same type as Kadira – silent but doesn’t let anyone trample over his head. I love that type.”

“Sure you do,” Yozak nodded, sipping his ale. “I rather go for feisty ones.”

Yuuri closed his eyes. Goddamn, he thought, is this for real?

“Oh right, you had a crush on that… Annissina or what's the woman’s name?” Armano thought a moment.

Yozak went pale at the lethal look, Yuuri’s now open eyes were emanating. “Heh, heh-heh,” Yozak swallowed dryly. “I think it was you who had a crush on her…”

“Oh,” Armano nodded, “that’s right. See…I’ve already forgotten. What?” he looked at Yuuri, whose eyes now went to Armano to give the same killing look to him as they had been giving to Yozak. “You have a crush on her, too?” 

Yuuri choked on his own saliva. “No,” he spluttered after several seconds, “I really don’t… Besides, she’s a lesbian,” he added.

“A lesbian?” Armano mouthed around the new word. “What’s that?”

Yuuri painted deep red. He had not a faintest idea why he went with the topic at all. He muttered quickly under his breath.

“What?” Armano leaned closer to hear better. “Didn’t hear a thing. What did you say that was?”

“He said it’s when a woman does that with a woman,” Yozak, who sat closer to Yuuri, translated.

“Does what? Ohhhh…” Armano drawled. “Got it. Seriously? Have never noticed… You seem to be a rather sharp lad,” he smacked his hand on Yuuri’s shoulder. “So have you ever seen that? Whom did she do it with?” he leaned even closer to Yuuri.

“Already molesting the kid, I see…” with one strong tug on Armano’s shoulder, Kadira hauled Armano away from Yuuri. The lavender-haired man set the plates on the table. “The eggs will be done in five minutes,” he informed his friend before sitting back at Yuuri’s side. 

“He was about to tell some yummy stuff about Annissina,” Armano waved his hands about excitedly.

“Who is Annissina?” Kadira asked, digging in his soup.

“Ehh…” Armano shrugged. Kadira was a rather jealous person. “Yozak has a crush on her.”

“Seriously?” Kadira’s sapphire eyes locked on Yozak. “A woman? Didn’t know you swing both ways… Ah well,” he shrugged, going back to his soup.

Yuuri’s head started hurting. “Can we change the topic?”

“You’d rather talk about boys, wouldn’t you?” Armano winked at him.

“I’d rather talk about weather,” Yuuri glared at him.

“Yuuri has a fiancé,” Yozak interrupted. He only grinned when Yuuri glared daggers at him.

“Oh my, so young and already a fiancé?” Armano wondered, slurping on his soup. “I think one needs to run wild before getting a fiancé… Don’t you think it’s too soon?” he looked at Yuuri.

“Nobody asked me, in the first place,” Yuuri grunted out at the brown-haired man.

“No wild running for you anymore,” Kadira said to Armano around spoonful of soup. “If I catch you running, you won’t run anymore because I’ll tear your legs off.”

“Okay, okay,” Armano waved that off dismissively. “So is it a boy or a girl?” he turned to Yuuri.

“A boy,” Yozak answered instead of Yuuri. “And a pretty one at that.” He grinned at Yuuri’s promising glare again.

Armano clicked his tongue. “So you go for that type? All that pretty faces, eyelashes batting, cross-dressing, fragile poses?” he looked at Yuuri, interested. “Actually I think that’s the worst kind, worst than women, no good for anything…”

Yuuri’s eyes crossed. He could feel smoke coming from his ears. “Fragile?!” he shouted, agitated. “Wolfram would roll your head off your shoulders in one stroke. And after that he’d burn you to crisp! And he’d…” Yuuri shut his mouth. Confused, he looked at the two grinning men. Even Kadira was giving him a contemplative blue-eyed gaze.

“He seriously loves that Wolfram, doesn’t he?” Armano sighed dreamily. “I wish someone would defend my honor like that,” he gave an alluding glance at Kadira’s side. 

“You have no honor, to BEGIN WITH,” Kadira said calmly, shoveling the last spoonful into his mouth.

“Touché,” Armano chuckled. 

Yuuri sank deeper into his chair and didn’t stick his head out anymore. 

XXXXX

Kyota watched Wolfram’s body jolting and shaking on the seat while the carriage was wheeling over bumps and holes. Wolfram was curled, his head lying on a pile of pillows, his feet thrust against the sideboard of the carriage. The prince was trying to sleep or sleeping – it was hard to tell while with such heavy movements – on and under the covers that were arranged on the seat.

The soft tap was heard all around the carriage. Kyota looked through the small window at the rainy and misty landscape. The glistening leaves and grass were enjoying the last warmth before the fall. Some of the bushes by the roadside were spruced up with varicolored berries.

Being a wielder of fire he didn’t like rain. Yuuri must love it. Sure the guy did. Wolfram liked rain, too. Well, actually Wolfram told him once that he liked rain…to be where it was supposed to be – behind the window and outside. Wolfram liked to sit by the window and watch the rain. They used to quietly sit together and watch. He didn’t like rain as Wolfram did, he simply liked being beside the blonde. While Wolfram watched the rain, he would watch Wolfram’s unguarded expressions while his emerald melancholy eyes would be steeped deep in the garden seen through the window.

Wolfram roused from his unsettled sleep as after one big bump, which the carriage went through, the pile of pillows shattered from under his head and to the bottom of the carriage. He winced in pain as his head smacked loudly against the bare seat desk.

“Well, had some sleep?” Kyota asked, sighing.

Wolfram rubbed the place where he had hit his head. “A little,” he nodded. “I’m okay,” he said after Kyota’s questioning look. “I’m not ill, it’s just that I was tired and had a bit to drink. Well, add to that that weird food and all…”

Kyota shrugged. Wolfram really didn’t look ill. Just a little tired and sleepy. One, as sensitive as Wolfram, really had no chance of sleeping like that. An amusing thought about suggesting Wolfram using him as a pillow had crossed Kyota’s mind, but there was still quite some way to Delam, and he didn’t want to create any unnecessary friction between himself and Wolfram.

“What?” Wolfram’s brow rose at Kyota’s face as a strange shimmer appeared in the blue-haired man’s eyes, watching him from the other side of the carriage.

Kyota coughed, “Nothing. Just can’t believe how handsome you are.” He grinned at Wolfram. Smooth move, Kyota grunted at himself mentally. 

Wolfram cocked his head to the side, smiling, wondering what Kyota had really been thinking about. “You are not too bad yourself,” Wolfram grinned at his friend. This was how Kyota played, and he was used to that long ago, but by Kyota’s current reaction he knew that the other boy had expected him to wave it off dismissively or roll his eyes as usually instead of… Wolfram’s emerald eyes widened when the realization quickly flew past Kyota’s face. He couldn’t believe that… How? The older boy read him like an open book!

“This is the first time I saw you flirt,” Kyota said seriously.

Wolfram’s eyes widened even more and became the size of saucers. “I…didn’t…” he stammered. “I really… Ummm… Did I?” the prince blinked at Kyota, flushed and flustered. He really didn’t think he would be THAT obvious.

Kyota just shrugged and leaned back on the back of the carriage and, surprising Wolfram greatly, he didn’t proceed with the topic. They were silent for several minutes, then Kyota started relating about his brother’s and mother’s current lives.

XXXXX

The next several days Wolfram and Kyota spent peacefully, talking and playing cards, staying at inns at night or going through the night and then sleeping at an inn during the day. And then they were finally in Delam, both boys being relieved after the long and tiring journey.

Katarina, Kyota’s mother met her son and Wolfram as soon as their carriage wheeled into the yard of the castle. The blue-haired and blue-eyed woman approached the carriage and welcomed Wolfram with a bright smile as soon as the door of the carriage opened, and Wolfram jumped down the steps.

She quickly approached Wolfram, and Wolfram suddenly found his face between two soft and welting globes. The warmth coming from them made his face even hotter. He hated when his mother did that, but when this familiar and completely blood-unrelated woman acted like this, it always freaked him out. 

“So Kyota has finally succeeded in stealing your heart, Wolfie!” the woman squealed in delight. “Oh, I’m so happy he has brought you here!”

“Mom, you’ll suffocate him,” Kyota remarked at Wolfram’s red face between his mother’s breasts. “And you know he hates when you call him “Wolfie”,” the blue-haired boy said, standing at their side and watching the whole ordeal with a soft smile on his lips. “And it’s not that clear about his heart. But I do try my best, you know…” he chuckled when Wolfram was finally freed and started gasping for precious air to fill his lungs.

“My mother is sending you a gift,” Wolfram said after he had composed himself. “She had succeeded in breeding several interesting flower kinds and wanted to share them with you. I have brought some seeds and bulbs.”

The blue-haired woman clasped her hands in delight. “Wonderful! I especially want to see “The King’s Glory"! Cecilie had written so much about it!”

“And this is from me,” Wolfram said, motioning for one of his guards to come closer. The guard held out a small nicely wrapped bundle to Wolfram. Wolfram took it and presented it for Katarina who took it and started to unwrap it curiously. With pleasure, Wolfram watched the woman’s blue eyes lighten in delight. 

Katarina tossed the wrapping to Kyota. She turned over the encrusted statue of a cat in her hands. Goddess of Fertility. She was moved that Wolfram still remembered that she collected her statues. 

Next second Wolfram found himself in a crushing embrace. Teary-eyed, Katarina let go of Wolfram. She flustered. “Sorry, crying here like a stupid hen…” she wiped her tears away.

The sound of hooves smashing against the muddy ground was heard and was coming closer. After several seconds, Kyota’s brother, Arisu, rode into the yard. The younger man drew the reins, jumped off the horse, stumbled on the muddy and slippery ground and almost fell over but managed to catch himself, quickly regained his cool, threw the reins to one of the awaiting servants and ran off to Wolfram to grab the blonde in a fierce hug.

“Wolfram!” the boy screamed almost deafening the blonde. “Wolfram, you're here!”

“Hey, Arisu,” Wolfram returned the hug.

“So what, you are now my brother-in-law?” he shook Wolfram by his shoulders so that the blond locks flew all over Wolfram’s face.

“A-a-a-ariii-su! For gggodsss’ sssaa-ake, qu-u-u-uuit it!” Wolfram finally freed himself from that hyperactive jolting, shaking and jumping mass of a boy. He had been used to that long ago. Everyone in the Docharo family was sure that one day Kyota and he would marry. That didn’t even bother him anymore. 

“I have a gift for you, too,” Wolfram smiled at the smaller copy of Kyota. Excited, blue eyes widened at him. The boy grabbed the box Wolfram held out to him.

“Hurunas!” the boy screamed, picking up one of the violet fruits and nearly deafening Wolfram again. “Hurunas! You brought me hurunas!”

Wolfram grinned at the rejoiced boy. “I’d have brought the apple pie you love so much, but the way is too long.”

After several more hugs, greeting words and smiles, they all went inside the castle.

TBC


	10. Part 10

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 10

Wolfram went to have a bath. He was relieved not to find Kyota there. The other boy must have still been relating their journey to his family.

The bath was smaller than that at his home, but this one was also nicely decorated: four accurately carved stone phoenix statues at each corner of the pool, the phoenix being a part of Docharo’s family’s coat of arms. Though, Wolfram found it a little funny that they had put the phoenix even in the bath.

There were also five big stained glasses, the light that was coming from the torches on the walls playing with the colors, stealing them from the glass, mingling them with the water in the pool, swirling to make various patterns then the softly waving water swashing them about in the pool.

Several hutches were placed at the walls, the top shelves filled with varicolored bottles of shampoo and different smelling soaps. Wolfram was sure that behind the small doors there were towels and sponges.

Wolfram walked over to the pool and hung his clothes on the cloak rack that stood near the pool at the wall. After arranging his toiletries next to the brim of the pool he edged into it.

The prince heaved a long, relaxed sigh after submerging into the pleasantly warm water. Five days unwashed. He had gone longer unwashed and he knew that most folk went unwashed even longer. Wolfram remembered Yuuri commenting on that once and comparing that to his world. Actually Yuuri used to make many comparisons.

Wolfram reached out for the sponge he had been given earlier and took the bar of soap from the edge of the pool. He had been scared out of his wits at Yuuri’s world. It wasn’t that bad when Yuuri, his brothers or at least Yuuri’s parents were together with him, but there was one time when he was left alone in the house. That half an hour was the longest in his life. The phone, the fridge, the TV, the microwave, the thing that Yuuri called a computer and from it wafting bouncing and beating music. He thought he’d go insane. 

He had been jumpy for several days after that. After Yuuri had asked what was wrong with him, and he had told him, Yuuri had laughed at him, so he had never brought the subject up, especially not after Yuuri had purposely brought his CD player to Shin Makoku to scare him. Oh, he had been scared, almost to death, and Yuuri had laughed so hard he rolled on the floor.

Wolfram finished washing himself with the sponge and submersed back into the water. He hated Yuuri’s world, and Yuuri was the one to have induced that hate.

Wolfram leaned forward, and his hand reached farther on the floor for the shampoo. But there also were some nice things in Yuuri’s world. Why instead of bringing that shampoo that smelled like some kind of fruit in Yuuri’s house he had loved, had Yuuri brought that horrible noisy abomination from hell?

Wolfram rubbed the shampoo into his hair then dunked his head under the water to wash it off.

He knew the answer, anyway.

When Wolfram was already going back to his room, the heavy door to the bath opened and Kyota entered.

“Finished already?” the longhaired man asked Wolfram who was now dressed in a bathrobe and holding his clothes in his arms against him. Kyota threw the change of his clothes onto the same coat rack Wolfram had just taken his clothes off.

Wolfram nodded. Actually he was tired and wanted nothing more than to go to the room he had been given and to sleep.

“Maybe you want to have a snack before going to sleep?” Kyota asked. “Fine then,” he nodded after Wolfram shook his head in denial. “See you in the morning,” Kyota said before starting to unbutton his shirt. 

XXXXX

The rest of the noisy evening in the celebrating tavern, Yuuri spent silent. Separate, unrelated words reached him from the three conversing men he sat with at the table but he was completely out of it. Yozak sent several worried glances to his side but he just shook his head, indicating that he was fine.

He had been surprised at his outburst when Armano said those things about Wolfram. Well, not directly about Wolfram but meaning that about whoever was his fiancé. But to tell the truth it was rather not surprise at his outburst he was contemplating on, but the realization as to exactly why the words had set him off, the particular words. 

It was after three hours when the tavern finally started calming down, the drunk men drifting home or simply slumping down under the tables and starting to snore. It was a miracle that the men didn’t start fighting amongst themselves or that there were no bigger incidents. 

After one more hour, Yozak wished his friends goodnight (they were staying in the same tavern), and he and Yuuri went to their room. And it was then when Yuuri realized that it was only one bed, and small at that. From the doorway, he turned to glare at Yozak.

“What?” Yozak asked. He walked over to the table that was stationed at now completely dark window and put the candlestick on it.

“There’s only one bed.”

“I noticed that the first time,” Yozak chuckled. “It’s the only room they had.”

“You sleep on the carpet,” Yuuri pointed at the worn-out carpet next to the door then crossed his arms over his chest.

“I’m your guard, not your dog,” Yozak snickered, walking over to the bed and starting taking his clothes off.

Yuuri only sighed. To tell the truth, he hadn’t even expected Yozak to contemplate the thought at least for a moment. What was that about servants sleeping on a mat at the door in movies about old times?! That was such an obvious lie! 

“Oh, c’mon, it’s not like I’m gonna molest you or anything,” bare-chested, Yozak turned around to glare at Yuuri. “Have some trust in me!” He took his trousers off.

“I have no trust in drunken men!”

“Suit yourself,” Yozak shrugged, climbing under the covers. After a second a soft snoring followed.

Yuuri rolled his eyes. Now Yozak would boast that he had slept with the king… Bastard. 

Yuuri walked over to the table and took his lenses out then started undressing. Then he walked over to the table again and blew the candlestick out. Groping around himself in the darkness, he found the bed and snuck under the covers. Yozak was warm. Sure as hell he was, having that much ale in his system would make anyone warm. Yuuri wondered how many times he’d be woken up by Yozak going to empty his bladder. Although, Yozak didn’t kick in his sleep or steal his covers like Wolfram used to, at least not in the times the two of them slept in the tent. And still, he’d have preferred Wolfram at his side.

XXXXX

Yuuri woke up panting. In the total darkness, he shot up in the bed, the images of the battlefield still flowing against his wide with agitation eyes. 

“You okay, Your Majesty?” Yozak asked, yawning and turning to Yuuri from the other side of the bed. 

Yuuri nodded quickly. “I’m okay,” he said after realizing that Yozak couldn’t see him nodding in that darkness. He brushed with his hands over his sweaty forehead. He could still see Wolfram sitting on his horse, farther up the hill, his sword drawn, a fireball ready in his left hand. And he could still see Wolfram’s smoldering emerald eyes gazing back at him.

It was not the first time he had this dream. It wasn’t a nightmare, but there was something…there was something so very disturbing and eerie about it that Yuuri would wake up in the middle of the night, shaken up, feeling that gaze following him even during day.

Yuuri lay back in the bed, pulling the covers on himself. He could hear the heavy rain beating against the walls of the tavern. He hoped the wind wouldn’t change the direction or the rain would start beating against the window, not letting them sleep. Though, Yozak could probably sleep anytime and everywhere.

Yozak’s breathing soon turned slow and deep, the man falling back into slumber.

Yuuri would also dream about the battle, how he killed those men, dreamt about the stench of burning flesh, and the horror screams of the dying men, and that was a real nightmare, and he’d wake up shouting his head off, kicking and flouncing about until Yozak would calm him down.

The other day he had also dreamt Wolfram, but it was a bit different dream. The blonde…no…the blond had been standing on their bed, in the castle, in that his silly pink nightie that had been falling off his shoulder. Wolfram had been standing in a fighting pose, his head inclined a bit, his sword ready to strike, to cut through anything that approached. There had been a bright fireball in his left palm that had been emanating enough light to lighten the surroundings. From the bed, the blond had been looking down at him, his striking emerald eyes unreadable, but the gaze so intense that it had awakened Yuuri up from his sleep. After some startled breathing, Yuuri had remembered that it really had happened - the time Wolfram had dreamt about him, and he had hit him with the pillow over his head.

Yuuri had a pretty clear idea why he was dreaming that. That eerie feeling had been disturbing from the very time his mind captured Wolfram like that first, and it only became clearer and more disturbing after the battle. He had a pretty clear idea why he was dreaming that, and it freaked him out, made him sick with himself.

And he could see Wolfram’s burning nightie flying high in the air, on a stick until pink turned into crisp… And the firebrands were being carried high above his head by the winds, and it seemed he could hear someone laughing above him. And how he defended Wolfram against “fragile”… It appeared there was one thing he had been missing out - Wolfram was anything but feminine.

XXXXX

“Good morning,” Wolfram nodded after entering the dining-room where the family was already eating. “I’m sorry I have overslept,” he smiled sheepishly. He heard Katarina chuckle.

“Don’t worry,” Kyota’s stepfather, Edohi Mordana, stood up to greet Wolfram. Katarina, as the heir of the Docharo house and its property, didn’t take her current husband’s surname, and neither did Kyota. Several years ago, before Katarina inherited the title and the property she had the surname of her first husband, as did Kyota have his father’s surname. After Katarina’s brother died, and she took over the Docharo’s house, she changed her surname back, and so Kyota’s was changed, too. Although, Arisu, being a second born and not having the right to succeed to Docharo’s family, had his father’s, Mordana’s, surname. That by no means bothered Edohi or Arisu – Mordana’s family was almost as well-known and wealthy as Docharo’s, and Arisu was the firstborn to Edohi who, due his father, an old grumpy lecher, being very old and sick (very likely had caught several venereal diseases) was soon to become the successor to his family.

Edohi was a well-built man already with a tinge of gray in his bluish hair. Because of the same bluish hair Edohi had, not knowing, people would never think that Kyota and Arisu were children of different fathers – even if they shared only the mother, they looked very alike, only the younger boy’s hair being shorter and a bit lighter than Kyota’s.

“The journey was long. Besides Kyota mentioned that you’ve been running a slight fever,” Edohi showed Wolfram to his seat and motioned for the maids to serve Wolfram.

“Not really,” Wolfram shrugged. “The fever went away two days ago. Kyota is always exaggerating.” He turned to Kyota who only smiled.

“Sure he is,” Edohi patted Kyota’s head, chuckling. He grinned when his stepson swatted his hand away frowning at the open affection. “He’s oversensitive to everything which concerns you…”

“Edohi…” Kyota glared at him.

“Yes, yes,” Arisu quipped after swallowing half of the pie he was having for dessert. “He’s babbling about you nonstop. He never shuts up and…”

“Shut up, Arisu,” red-faced, Kyota muttered and reached for a glass with wine, thinking that it hadn’t been that good an idea to bring Wolfram here.

“Really?” Wolfram dug in his breakfast. “And what does he say?” He grinned when Kyota’s pleading look concentrated on him. Wolfram found the situation amusing and was happy to let Kyota taste his own medicine.

“Various things!” Arisu chirped happy to be allowed to speak. As there were not that many boys of his age around, he could rarely associate, except with his family and the servants who rather liked the hyperactive kid, but Arisu could drive anyone crazy in ten minutes, and now he was happy with the opportunity to give his piece of mind. “But mostly he is always claiming that he’d get you to marry him! And he also says that the king is a wimp and that he…”

“Arisu!” Katarina squeaked, giving a bit frightened look to Wolfram. “The king is Wolfram’s fiancé…”

“Not to worry,” Wolfram chuckled. “Besides the engagement will be broken soon, so who knows, maybe your brother will have a chance…” He didn’t even dare raise his head after his declaration and look at Kyota. And he did it in front of Kyota’s family. Wolfram wondered if he really had a fever. No, there was simply something wrong with his brain.

Edohi gave a searching look to his quite shocked stepson then his gaze came back to Wolfram who still hadn’t raised his eyes from his plate and was eating silently. It was an open invitation, and Edohi was sure that Kyota would be interested, but there was one problem, and he hoped his stepson wasn’t too foolish.

XXXXX

Wolfram grunted as Kyota’s wooden sword clashed against his with a force that had numbed his hands. He was a better swordsman than Kyota, but Kyota was stronger of the two, and he knew he had to watch out for direct sword clashes.

Wolfram managed to finally push Kyota away, and the two of them stood against each other panting, trying to use the short break. In those almost two hours of training, Kyota had “died” seventeen times and Wolfram two. Now the two of them were waiting who would be the first to die twenty times – it was an old agreement to finish the spar at the count of twenty “deaths” of one of them. Although, Wolfram had never been the one to “die” first.

“Your skills are getting better,” Kyota panted out, brushing his ponytail back over his shoulder.

“Thank you,” Wolfram inclined his head. “Conrad is the best swordsman in the kingdom, after all…”

“Indeed, your workout is clearly seen. I wish I had someone like him to train with… Well, at least someone half-decent… Edohi is the worst swordsman I have ever seen,” Kyota snickered.

“But he’s the best economist in the whole country…You ought to be proud of your stepfather…” Wolfram grinned, circling the other boy and looking for an opening.

“Oh, nobody is gainsaying that he isn’t,” Kyota rolled his sapphire eyes. His and his stepfather’s relationship was quite warm, and Kyota knew that Wolfram was only teasing him. “But as a swordsman he’s nothing worth.”

“Hey, c’mon! Stop stalling you two!” Arisu, who had been sitting on the grass and watching them from the very beginning, shouted. “Wolfram, you’ve promised you’d spar with me, too!”

“I will,” Wolfram shouted back. “Arisu hasn’t changed a bit… You know, he’s not that much younger than us…” he said after turning back to Kyota. “I had been expecting that by this time he’d already have started acting a bit more…”

“…Mature?” Kyota snickered, catching up where Wolfram trailed off. “Yeah, he should… But then…I suppose there’s no need for that…” he shrugged. “Can’t wait until he finds someone; his attention can be too much sometimes.” He coughed as Wolfram’s blond brow arched at him, an amused smile appearing on the prince’s lips. But before Kyota could say anything, Wolfram suddenly grabbed the sword from Kyota’s hands and turned away to Arisu. Kyota cursed himself for being caught off guard.

“Hey, Arisu!” Wolfram threw the sword over to the younger boy who easily caught it by the handle and swished the sword around expertly. “I think your brother and I are finished here.”

From the soft grass, in exactly the same place where his brother sat several minutes ago, Kyota watched the two boys spar. He untied his long hair he had tied earlier not to get in the way during the spar, leaned on the grass on his elbows and got ready for the show. He wanted to watch how Wolfram moved without himself being concerned getting his ass whipped by Wolfram for losing his concentration during the spar.

Arisu was good. The kid still lacked training and experience but he was much better than he had been at that age. A year more and Arisu would be a worthy opponent. But for now, Wolfram was the one to admire. Of course, if compared to his brother, Conrad, Wolfram still had quite a way to go, but Wolfram’s skillful dance with the sword was something to look at. The blonde was swift and agile, his lithe, well-trained body quick to react, easily going over from offence to defense and the opposite.

Wolfram ducked, and Arisu’s sword swept over his head. He did enjoy sparing with the kid. The same as with Kyota, he and Arisu used to spar when the two still lived at Blood Pledge Castle. Arisu had improved greatly. Arisu had said that he was being taught by one of his father’s guards. 

To tell the truth, the guard was more than enough for Kyota, but the thing was that the problem was Kyota himself and not the lack of sufficient spar partners. Kyota didn’t have enough of talent. It was about all Kyota was able to learn. It didn’t really matter how much Kyota would train, it was his limit. And Wolfram knew that Kyota knew that perfectly well. Kyota only didn’t realize that everybody else knew the same. It was obvious to a more trained eye.

But there were things Kyota did better than others – there were no equals to Kyota when he wielded his fire element. If Wolfram was able to best Kyota in sword-fighting without bigger problems, Kyota had bested Wolfram with his fire element not once. Wolfram supposed that he could work on his own fire element and train more, but he knew that it was rather futile – some people were able to feel their element better and use it more efficiently, just as Kyota was able to.

XXXXX

There was a loud knock on the door. Wolfram’s head shot up in unexpectedness. He was already in bed, under the covers, with his new and warm pajamas he had brought over for the rainy season. 

Wolfram had excused himself from the dining-room where the family was gathered and discussed various events and simply chitchatting. He didn’t think anyone would come up to his room.

“It’s open,” Wolfram said. 

“Kyota…” Wolfram put the book he had been reading aside after his friend entered his room.

Kyota glanced at the book that was lit up by a kerosene lamp that was standing on the nearby bedside cabinet. He had expected Wolfram to be going to sleep or to be already asleep, but… It was the same book Wolfram had been reading from time to time while they had been traveling by the carriage. 

“Are you bored?” Kyota asked. He walked over to the bed and stood at Wolfram’s side.

Wolfram’s eyes followed Kyota’s gaze and settled on the book, too. “No,” he shook his head, a little discomforted. “For some reason… I just felt as if it were too stuffy in the dining-room.”

“Well, if you wanted to be alone, you could have just said so…” Kyota’s sapphire eyes rose from the book to Wolfram who was still looking at the book. Kyota turned to the door.

“Don’t go…”

Surprised, Kyota looked at Wolfram’s hand that now was holding the creased end of Kyota’s shirt. Wolfram let go of the fabric. 

“I don’t really want to be alone…” Wolfram muttered, a little embarrassed by how suddenly he had grabbed Kyota by his shirt. He raised his head to look at the blue-haired boy. Kyota was watching him with those unreadable sapphire eyes of his.

Kyota sighed. He sat down on the bed next to Wolfram. “So what do you want to do?”

“Just…” Wolfram fell silent, realizing that he had no idea. “I… I just don’t want to be alone…” he finished lamely.

“Come here,” Kyota reached out for Wolfram. He threaded his fingers through Wolfram’s hair as the blonde leaned against his chest and exhaled deeply. The soft locks felt wonderful against his skin. Wolfram’s scent was slowly engulfing his senses. Wolfram sometimes got like that - simply wanted affection. It was no wonder that Wolfram needed that, especially now.

“Kyota…?” Wolfram muttered after several minutes of calmness that had seeped through Kyota’s tender caresses.

“Umm?”

“I… I have given you an open invitation. Why didn’t you…?” Wolfram exhaled deeply on Kyota’s shirt. He felt the blue-haired boy shiver. All day Kyota…not ignored him, but there was some unusual reluctance in the older boy’s actions towards him. 

Kyota’s hold on Wolfram tightened. “Oh, Wolfram…” Kyota sighed, putting his chin on Wolfram’s head. “It would be okay if that were true, but… All you think about is Yuuri, isn’t it? It would be okay if it were only a title - “fiancé” - but you…”

In exasperation, Wolfram nuzzled his face against Kyota’s shirt. “Shut up! I don’t want to hear his name anymore!”

Kyota stroked Wolfram’s hair to calm the agitated prince down. “See? You don’t act reasonably… I don’t want to take advantage of you…”

“It’s me, who is taking the advantage!” Wolfram snickered.

Kyota chuckled. “You think so?” His blue eyes darkened. His fingers still buried in the blonde’s hair, he tugged at those strands to raise Wolfram’s head. Kyota was met by two quite surprised emerald orbs. “You can take all advantage of me you wish,” he said to them seriously. The eyes widened, and Wolfram’s face flushed with heat as Kyota leaned even closer to him. The green eyes closed at the contact on the lips.

He couldn’t restrain himself anymore, not then when Wolfram started answering the kiss. It was… He had dreamt of that for a very long time, and now…

Wolfram grunted as instead of sitting position he suddenly found himself recumbent, his back against the mattress, Kyota’s weight pressing him down. He didn’t mind that. Kyota’s fervent kisses and the heat from his body that was soaking right through his pajamas and into his skin were making him giddy.

Kyota pushed the annoying covers out of his way. Wolfram let a soft moan slip past his lips and into Kyota’s mouth as the blue-haired boy’s hand slid under the top of his pajamas to play with his left nipple. Hungrily, Kyota swallowed the moan and rolled the nub between his fingers again. The distraction let him slip his tongue past Wolfram’s and into the blonde’s mouth again. 

Like always, Wolfram was a good kisser, only this time Wolfram seemed to be a bit more flustered and affected than usual, letting him gain more control. Wolfram wasn’t exactly the submissive type. The blonde used to be the one to overwhelm his senses. He couldn’t exactly say why he loved Wolfram, it simply was like that, but mostly he felt that he wanted Wolfram because Wolfram matched him well, because the two of them were the sides of the same coin, neither of them yielding to another, but perfectly supplementing each other. It hurt that Wolfram thought that exactly because of this fact he couldn’t love him.

Their kisses grew more intense and passionate, wet smacking sounds echoing in the room, the buttons of Wolfram’s pajamas now open, the cloth pushed aside.

Wolfram broke the kiss and turned his head to the side to catch his breath. Kyota purred, shifting lower to suck on the blonde’s neck. In wonderment, he listened to the soft noises Wolfram was making in the back of his throat. Oh how Wolfram had been wrong… That flower he had left behind when he went to Delam didn’t wither away, quite the opposite – in that time he was absent, it had blossomed, and the ripe fruit was ready to be plucked off.

Kyota felt Wolfram’s fingers dig into his shoulders, Wolfram’s other hand buried in his long hair, gripping on it, pulling him closer, silently asking for more. He released the prince’s nipple to take a look at Wolfram’s flushed face. Wolfram’s eyes opened to give him a cloudy look then the blonde leaned to him to kiss him again.

Wolfram started tugging at Kyota’s shirt, and he let the wide cloth be pushed off his shoulders. Wolfram leaned to him, and Kyota moaned when Wolfram’s mouth and then tongue washed over the skin of his chest. Wolfram’s initiative was approved, and Kyota’s hands slid down over Wolfram’s shoulders and to the small of his back to press them together. 

Something in between approving moans and grunts were leaving Wolfram’s mouth while he was sucking on the blonde’s throat and neck. Wolfram’s pale skin tasted wonderful, clean and young and charged with pheromones, and his mouth was watering with desire to bite and graze. He knew he was going to leave marks on Wolfram, but at the moment he didn’t even care if Wolfram was going to be angry with him. 

His breaths coming in short quick puffs, Kyota pressed Wolfram back to the mattress. His nails scrapping Wolfram’s left side, he dragged his hand down Wolfram’s waist until it met the resistance of the waistband.

“Wolfram…” he moaned, his hips rubbing against the bulge in Wolfram’s pajamas. Kyota’s hand slid down into the trousers as Wolfram raised his hips. He leaned a little back and, with a little difficulty, pushed them down Wolfram’s thighs. Wolfram wasn’t wearing the underwear under his pajamas.

Kyota had seen Wolfram naked before, but this was a completely different situation, and his mouth watered at the sight of Wolfram’s arousal springing up. Wolfram jerked underneath Kyota as he took him in his hand. Gently, Kyota’s fingers ran up over the length, his eyes fixated on the blonde to outwatch Wolfram’s reactions and not to miss anything. Kyota absorbed the gasps and moans hungrily, his excitement growing and mounting up when Wolfram’s fingers started to fidget with his trousers impatiently. He leaned a little away to help Wolfram out. 

Eagerly, Wolfram unbuckled Kyota’s trousers. His eyelids fluttered shut when Kyota came back to kissing him, their bodies moving and groins grinding against each other impatiently. It all was so… The hot body against his, between his legs, the passion… It was so familiar… So… Why couldn’t Yuuri love him so much? Why was it…?

Wolfram’s eyes shot open. What…what the hell was he doing?!

He pushed Kyota away and sat down abruptly. Panting, he pushed his shirt close to cover his chest and groin and held onto it with his hands that trembled so much that it seemed he was going to rip his pajamas. Fearfully, he raised his head up to look at Kyota’s face. Kyota wasn’t mad at him, it didn’t appear so. The older boy was just watching him with those blue inscrutable eyes of his. 

“I’m… I’m sorry, I…” Wolfram muttered, panicking. “Kyota, I…” He didn’t know what he wanted to say, his head still in that aroused state but now restless in his anxiety. “I’m so sorry. I don’t…” He fell silent as there a soft but sad smile that appeared on Kyota’s face. And then he suddenly realized that Kyota had known that it…

Kyota shifted himself in his trousers to get more comfortable. He looked at Wolfram’s panicking face and sighed, “See what I meant..? If it were that easy to simply throw oneself in the other’s arms and forget the one you really love, I’d have forgotten you long ago… You are deluding yourself, Wolfram. You can take all the advantage of me you wish, but until you yourself are ready…” he just shrugged, not finishing. “Ah damn, Wolfram, you are so cute…” He reached out to take Wolfram’s chin and raise his face to his. “Don’t cry,” he started kissing the blonde’s tears away, “he’s not worth that…”

“It’s not…that…” Wolfram hiccupped even louder then just clung to Kyota, crying. “I hate him! I hate him so much!”

Kyota stroked Wolfram’s hair. “No, you love him,” he said.

XXXXX

Still half asleep, Yuuri, together with Yozak, climbed downstairs to have their breakfast. Yuuri wrapped himself tighter in his coat – it was cold. It had been raining the whole night long, the winds howling outside, tearing at the building. It was still drizzling, the weather gloomy and chilly.

They sat down at the free table they managed to find in the very corner of the tavern. Yuuri had expected the tavern to be half-empty after the yesterday’s guests and celebrators disbanded each to his house, but it was still full. Although, Yuuri noticed that for some reason he couldn’t see the same faces between the guests. 

Yuuri groaned mentally as, just after Yozak had come back with their food, someone shouted Yozak’s name, and, after raising his head and squinting forward, he saw Armano and Kadira take their plates and come to their table. He had already had enough of Yozak’s friends earlier.

“Hey,” Armano plopped down next to Yozak, Kadira taking the seat next to Yuuri again.

“Hey,” Yozak yawned. “Changed your mind? I think you said you were going away early…”

Armano raised his surprised eyes to look at his friend. “Haven’t you heard?”

“Heard what?” Alarmed, Yozak raised his head to look at Armano.

“The bridge to Goran is gone. Was just swept away by the rising river and storm this night. Until it’s fixed, there’s no way to cross the river. Unless you want to travel an additional thirty miles in such weather.”

Yuuri’s appetite was gone in a second. “So you mean we are stuck here?”

“Yep,” Yozak nodded, gobbling up his fried eggs.

TBC


	11. Part 11

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 11

Yuuri half sat, half lay at the table in his and Yozak’s room. He was tightly wrapped in his cloak, his chin resting on his hands, his look cast somewhere far through the window where the winds were tearing the trees and tossing the rain about. It was the third day now, that he and Yozak were residing in the tavern without moving any further.

A day before, Yozak, Yuuri and Yozak’s friends traveled five miles to the spot of the sluiced out bridge to see if there was any progress on the building of a new bridge and to look if they could help any. Instead of the old bridge, about half a mile from where it used to be, on the high slopes, they found several logs, people from nearby villages and some other travelers like themselves preparing timber and planks to at least make a temporary suspension bridge.

They also joined the works on the new bridge, but it didn’t last long – in the afternoon, the winds became too strong, and the rain was acridly beating upon them. The people on both sides of the river conferred, decided to continue the work on the suspension bridge in their sheds and then gather later, when the weather would be better, to hang it and drifted away.

Today was no good for working either, so they just sat in the tavern. Yozak and his two friends went downstairs to play poker, and Yuuri, feeling down, stayed in the room to brood. And so he watched the weather going nuts behind the window and scratched his head from time to time. 

Yuuri had tried out various remedies recommended by the innkeeper and his wife, but nothing had worked. Well, maybe the count of the lice in his hair had lessened but it seemed they had become even more vicious and resistant. Yuuri couldn’t wait to get back home, to Earth, and get rid of all those annoying bugs. He hoped that there were other ways than to shave his head bald as the innkeeper had suggested as the last resort. That is, if he didn’t go bald after re-dyeing his hair from black to brown so many times.

Yuuri jerked in his seat and turned around as the door behind him flew open, and Armano burst in. Yozak and Kadira followed him with resigned looks on their faces. Yozak, after Yuuri turned to glare at him, waved his hands in front of his chest as if telling that it was not his idea and he had nothing to do with it.

“So,” Armano grabbed the free chair that stood next to the made bed. He shook Yozak’s clothes off it and tossed them farther onto the bed then pushed the chair over and sat down next to Yuuri. It all happened so fast that Yuuri was only able to blink at the brown-haired man’s face.

“I see you two have only one bed,” Armano grinned at Yuuri’s quite gob-smacked face. “Nice.”

“Hello, Armano,” Yuuri leaned his head on his palm. “And what rejoicing news are you bringing today?”

“So young and already sarcastic…” Armano tsked, reclining back into his chair comfortably. “Actually I thought you must be very lonely sitting in this small box,” he drew a circle with his hand.

“More likely being bored yourself,” Kadira snickered. As there were no more chairs, he and Yozak sat down on the bed.

Armano ignored the comment. His attention came back to Yuuri. “I thought I’d talk you into playing poker or at least finishing telling whom Annissina had been doing “it” with.”

Yuuri painted red. He raised his head and leaned back into his chair too. From Yuuri’s defensive pose seeing that he really was getting to the boy, Armano grinned contently. “So is she really interested only in women or was it you who didn’t manage to catch her interest?”

“Quit pestering the child,” Kadira’s voice wafted from the bed where he and Yozak were already dealing the cards. Armano sighed and quieted down. He turned to look at the playing men.

“I’m not a child!” Yuuri frowned, a thought that Armano and Kadira were like a wild dog and its owner crossing his mind.

“Yeah, he’s sixteen already,” Yozak nodded at his cards. “Whatever that means…”

“Sixteen? What weird counting is that?” Armano wondered. “Well, I thought you were older; still jailbait.” Armano winked at Yuuri when Yuuri sent him a piercing glare. “And what element did you make contract with? If you were able to make it at all...”

“Armano,” Kadira’s calm voice wafted from the side, “I wouldn’t blame the kid if after some five or so years he’d find you and just lop your head off…”

“Seriously? And you wouldn’t even try defending me?”

“Nope. If anything, I’d help him.”

“I love you.”

“Idiot.”

“So…” Armano turned to Yuuri again. “What element do you wield? I’d expect fire… You’re bristling so nicely that I can almost see sparks flying around…”

“Those are lice, lice…” Yozak muttered under his breath.

“Will you leave me in peace if I tell you?” Yuuri sighed.

“Yes.”

“He’s lying,” Kadira said, brushing his lavender ponytail behind his back. Trying to guess Yozak’s next move, he looked at the backs of Yozak’s cards.

“Then I’m not telling you anything.”

“Poor thing, so you didn’t manage to make any contract…?” Armano winced in dubious distress. “How about air? That one is pretty easy to master. Didn’t you at least manage to master air?”

“How could I get rid of you?” Yuuri wondered, inspecting his nails. “Oh, I know, I’ll throw you out of the window, or even better – drown you. There’s plenty of water around, after all…”

“Is he always that short-tempered?” Armano turned to Yozak who was scowling after having lost to Kadira who was putting a gold coin into his pocket.

“He’s not short-tempered,” Kadira answered instead of Yozak. “It’s you – you're unbearable. Again?” he looked at Yozak who was mixing the cards. “Two coins this time,” he said to Yozak, who nodded.

“You probably can’t wait until you see your Wolfram again…” Armano sighed dreamily. “I wish I were that young and controlled by hormones…” he clasped his hands, trying for a greater drama.

“Mentally you are even younger than this kid, and there’s nothing in your brain except hormones, anyway. I don’t get what you are complaining about …” Kadira said.

“Seriously – I love you,” Armano told Kadira who just rolled his eyes and sighed. “Yozak said Wolfram is pretty. What does he look like?” Armano came back to pestering Yuuri.

“Blond, he’s blond,” Yuuri sighed, resigned, realizing that if he started bickering over that “pretty”, it would be even worse. “With big green eyes.”

“Is his hair long?”

“Not really… But not that short either…”

“Damn, I love it when they are long-haired…” Armano put his elbows on the table, leaning his head on his palm.

Yuuri shrugged. He groaned inwardly when an excited look appeared on Armano’s face. He could bet he knew what the lecher wanted to ask about.

“So have you two done “it”?”

Kill me, someone, Yuuri thought. “Not your business.”

“Still virgin?” Armano chuckled. “How romantic! Are you waiting until the marriage?”

“Marriage my ass,” Yozak mumbled under his breath.

“But seriously, I think one has to run wild while one can…” Armano frowned.

“Run, run off with my head,” Yuuri groaned, burying his fingers in his currently brown hair.

“Damn! And you won again!” Yozak yelled, throwing the cards onto the bed. The cards sprayed all over the bed and around it on the floor. He started fumbling with his sack of money.

“You know that it’s pointless to play with Kadira,” Armano sighed. “He knows your move before you know it. Why do you think I chose pestering this kid,” with his head he motioned at Yuuri, “over playing cards…? The previous time he left me bare-assed…”

“It didn’t seem to me you had been complaining…” sapphire eyes settled on Armano with such intensity that it made Armano’s breath quicken and the hair on his nape rise up. 

“Isn’t your money communal?” Yozak asked, ignoring the innuendo and the suddenly charged atmosphere between the two.

“It usually is, but he seems to enjoy having me at his mercy from time to time…” Armano shivered at the darkened blue that swept over him.

Yuuri, scratching his head furiously, looked from the brown-haired man to the lavender-haired one. He frowned. “Get a damn room.”

Kadira motioned with his head to the door, and Armano stood up so quickly that the chair almost toppled over. “Going with us?” Armano turned to Yozak who was mixing cards and mourning his loss.

“Not this time,” Yozak shook his head, declining.

Wide-eyed, Yuuri stared at Yozak. 

“You sure?” Armano’s brow rose in surprise.

“Absolutely,” Yozak winked at him.

“But…”

“Leave the guy in peace,” Kadira grabbed Armano by his collar and dragged him out of the room.

After the door closed, Yuuri still was staring at Yozak.

“What?” Yozak put the cards aside. “I mean, what, Your majesty?”

Yuuri coughed. “Well, if you’ve refused because of me… Seriously, I don’t mind if you go…” he coughed again, his face turning pinkish.

“Nah, I’ll pass,” Yozak shook his head. “The previous time Conrad almost kicked my teeth out.”

Yuuri’s jaw stuck, and his mouth didn’t close for several seconds. So he had been right! Hell, he had been right! Yozak and Conrad indeed were lovers or at least… “And how is it with Adalbert?” Yuuri stammered out after a minute.

“Huh?”

“Adalbert. You know, the one with big sword…” Yuuri threw his hands in exasperation.

Yozak burst out laughing. He gave Yuuri a funny look then just shook his head. He muttered something to himself under his nose and laughed again.

“There are weird things going on in His Majesty’s head…” he chuckled.

XXXXX

Musing, Wolfram watched the white foamy liquid that he spat out from his mouth churning in the small bowl. He had been wrong - Yuuri had brought something useful from his world after all: toothpaste and toothbrushes, and also ballpoint pens.

Almost a year ago he walked in on Yuuri while he was brushing his teeth. Well, of course he knew what Yuuri was doing, but he had never seen anything like that small brush or that white dough-thing. He remembered Yuuri was laughing and trying to push him away while he was trying to smell Yuuri’s mouth. The next time Yuuri and Murata came over, Yuuri was carrying a big box with toothbrushes and toothpaste. He dispensed them to all wishing. Annissina quickly took the lead and started producing her own toothpaste called The Paste for Brushing Teeth. Wolfram wasn’t that sure if anyone had ever bought even one tube, but he knew for sure that, after again becoming Annissina’s guinea-pigs, Gunter and Gwendal had been walking around with their teeth blue for three days.

Wolfram spat saliva and the paste into the bowl and started rinsing his mouth. It had been quite strange to get used to the minty taste but now it had become his daily ritual to brush his teeth twice.

After finishing dressing, Wolfram sat down on the corner of his bed and looked around for his book. It was a bit too early for breakfast. However, after taking the book in his hands, he simply continued to gaze at its cover.

Yesterday, after Kyota had left, he had been silently sitting in his bed and staring at the heavy wooden door Kyota had just closed behind himself. He felt like shit for doing this to his friend, for using him, for babbling about Yuuri and crying like a baby. And after masturbating he felt even worse: dirty, ashamed and completely humiliated. He could only guess how he had made Kyota feel. He had been so angry at himself then. Nobody had ever played such a role in his life, nobody had ever cared about him so much, like Kyota did, and how was he repaying him for that? - There he was, ignoring and hurting his friend and pining after some man who hadn’t ever looked at his side since he came to Shin Makoku. Idiocy.

He was going to marry Kyota. There was no need in hurting them both further. If he could make Kyota happy, he was ready to do so, wanted to do so. It would take time to forget Yuuri, to get used to the idea but he thought he could manage that. Kyota was worth so much more…

Wolfram groaned, hiding his face in his palms. Kyota didn’t need his pity. Kyota wouldn’t accept it. But maybe with time… Hell, whom was he kidding? – He couldn’t do it.

Wolfram’s head shot up at the sound of knocking on his door.

“Morning,” Kyota stuck his head in after Wolfram’s voice let him in. “Just thought we could get breakfast earlier. – I thought about seeing my grandmother, I mean the mother of Edohi. It’s really nice there. It’s not for long, just for one day. We’d be back tomorrow evening,” Kyota spilled quickly.

Wolfram nodded and stood up; the journey was a perfect opportunity to have a word with Kyota.

XXXXX

It was the fourth day at the tavern, and Yuuri with Yozak, Armano and Kadira rode back to the place where the bridge had been washed out. The weather still wasn’t that good – it was drizzling and there were sporadic wind gusts passing them from time to time and tearing at their cloaks.

Back at the spot they found people trying to fasten the suspension bridge. It was already tied to the two high poles on their side of the bank and the other end was tied to a long rope that in turn was fastened to an arrow.

The four rode a bit aside to watch the progress. The first shot was into the water, not that far away from the opposite slope. After getting the rope and the arrow out of the water, the people changed the rope into a dry one and tried again. This time the arrow reached the opposite slope and stuck into the ground. The people from the other side withdrew it from the muddy earth and started drawing the rope, soon the suspension bridge beginning to cross the precipice.

“Well, the horses won’t be able to pass over it…” Yozak sighed. “As soon as the weather is better we are going to travel those additional thirty miles to get to the other side.”

“Well, it seems the weather getting better,” Kadira nodded. “Slowly, but steadily.” He grabbed the reins and braced himself against a sudden gust of wind. The next gust was so strong that it almost threw him off the saddle. Kadira turned around at a loud yelp at his side where Yuuri had hit the ground on his backside.

Their heads turned to the other side of the river where shouts and screams were heard. Yuuri wasn’t really sure what happened but the restless running around and screaming that had also started on their side was making him panicky.

“The wind blew the damn bridge off, the man’s leg got entangled in the rope, somebody tried to hold him down, and then they all went after and were dragged down into the river!” Armano, who had seen the entire thing happening, shouted to Yozak and Kadira who ran after him to the slope to help the others to drag the bridge out of the water. “There were three or four men!”

“Yozak, Armano, let’s tie the rope to this end of the bridge and fasten it to our horses!” Kadira shouted after giving a look at the situation.

Yuuri scurried to the slope, to the side where one could see down the slope, and where several people had gathered and shouted the regulations to the ones who were pulling the bridge up, but, as there was not enough muscle, soon everybody joined in pulling the bridge up. In the river, two men were holding onto the bridge, the third still being washed by the stream, going up and under the water. If people didn’t hurry, he was going to drown or be washed away, which very likely would result in the same.

With a swift thought, Yuuri dropped to his knees and called on his water element. For a moment all running and sounds ceased at once, only the brawling river and rain that was scraping against the trees, the ground and the clothes being heard. Transfixed, people stared at three water dragons that rose from above the slope. 

“Let go of the bridge, I’ll raise you up!” Yuuri shouted down to the terrified men who were staring at the dragons. Mentally, Yuuri commanded one of the dragons to raise the man entangled in the rope up to keep him above water level. “C’mon, let go of the bridge! I promise I’ll catch you!” For a second, Yuuri wondered how high he would be able to raise the water level in the river if the need arose. But then one man let go of the bridge, and Yuuri’s dragon wrapped around him. Steadily, the dragon rose to the very edge of the slope and let the man drop to the ground. Yuuri turned back to the river again. The second man, seeing how his companion was successfully dragged up, let go of the bridge without further encouragements.

After the second man was dragged up, Yuuri puzzled his head over what he should do with the one that had the rope entangled around his leg then called on the air element to raise the entire bridge while, at the same time, his water dragon raised the unconscious man.

Yozak sprung away as after Yuuri’s sharp gesture the logs next to him flared up. “Get the men here!” Yozak shouted to dumbfounded people who were simply staring at Yuuri, frozen. Yozak looked up at the sky which had suddenly stopped raining. “Why the hell didn’t you do that earlier?” he grunted while dragging the unconscious man to the fire. On his way, the man started coughing and vomiting water. Yozak started peeling the man’s clothes off.

“I didn’t really think I was able to…” Yuuri scratched his head. He plopped onto the ground, the water dragons behind him bursting into separate water drops with a loud pop and falling back into the river. “It seems that using several elements at once is…confusing…” he breathed out. He wasn’t tired but his head felt a little dizzy. For some time he watched people hustling around the three wet men.

“Would it work if I spread the healing majutsu on them?” Yuuri asked Yozak.

“Not really,” Yozak shook his head. “They aren’t hurt, just cold; fire is the best you could have done.” Yozak raised his head to look at Yuuri, and his gaze locked on him. “Your hair’s still long. And it’s black at the top of your head…and half washed out from all this water; and your clothes are turning brown from the running color…”

Yuuri tugged at his long hair. “It’s fine. I’m still using some of the power to prevent the rain.” Remembering Wolfram, Yuuri burst into flames to dry his clothes up. He swore loudly as his cloak caught fire. “Wolfram is really better at this,” he said, tossing the cloak away from him and making it rain on it.

“I suppose he’s talking about Wolfram von Bielefeld…?” Armano softly asked the closest person to him who happened to be Yozak.

“Yep.”

“Why the hell didn’t you say that the kid is the king?!” Armano hissed at him silently. “THE KING!” he threw his arms around in the air. “Fucking gods above! I have been fucking around with THE KING! You want my head lopped off?!” he screamed at Yozak hysterically. His look fell on Kadira, who was still looking at Yuuri. “Snap out of it! He’s THE KING!” he threw his hands again.

Kadira rolled his sapphire eyes. “Well, there aren’t that many people named ‘Yuuri’ and ‘Wolfram’ and who are fiancés…”

Armano stared at him. “You mean you knew?” he stammered out after a minute.

“Presumed,” Kadira shrugged.

“And you let me mess around with the kid?!”

“I hoped His Majesty would knock something into your head or out of it, but His Majesty appeared to be even more patient than me,” Kadira grinned at Armano. “The king must be used to dealing with idiots…”

“What if I’m sentenced to death?!” Armano groaned.

“And you’re still talking like I’m not here…” Yuuri remarked calmly while inspecting his still a little steaming coat. “Be calm, I’m not going to sentence anyone to death.” Frowning, Yuuri stuck his fingers through the burnt hole in his cloak and wiggled them. The cloak was ruined.

“Your Majesty, let me buy You a new cloak!” Armano suggested eagerly.

“Fine,” Yuuri nodded. “That will teach you not to be that annoying.”

“Your Majesty,” Yozak sighed, “actually when a king lets someone to buy or present him something, it’s an honor, and not punishment…”

“I hate you, Yozak,” Armano glared.

Yozak shrugged.

XXXXX

The four riders were approaching a village. It was raining. Yozak was trying to glare a hole through Yuuri’s new cloak. Ignoring him, Yuuri only wrapped himself in the cloak tighter. It was not as expensive as the previous one he had, but had been almost enough to leave Armano bare-assed. 

“Listen, I refuse to meddle with the weather anymore!” Yuuri snorted at Yozak. “It’s no good when people meddle with nature!”

“Yeah, that Global Warming might attack us! Is he really powerful?” Armano turned to Yuuri. He had turned into a completely new man after getting to know that Yuuri was his king.

Yuuri slapped himself on his forehead. “How many times do I have to tell you that it’s not a man!? The Global Warming is a process! A happening! A phenomenon!” 

“A phhgh… A phemonemo… A phenonemo…”

“A phenomenon, dammit!” Yuuri growled.

“Ah, so it’s that Pheno-meno-n we have to be afraid of! Is he a ranger or does he wield a sword? What element does he control?”

“I’ll sentence you to death if you don’t shut up right now!”

Armano closed his mouth, slowed his horse down and sided with Yozak. “His Majesty is really grumpy today…” he muttered. “Are you sure we will be able to beat that Global Warming off if he attacks us?”

“Have not a clue,” Yozak shrugged and urged his horse forward to catch up with Yuuri. “But it must be bad if His Majesty worries over him so much…”

They had left the tavern early in the morning, a day after the happening by the river. Yuuri couldn’t stand all that trembling and bowing around him and had simply used his powers to bring the four of them to the other side of the river. Before using the air element to move them all across the river, he had practiced on carrying logs around. It would have been much easier if he simply used his water element he was used to and had quite mastered, but then they would have gotten wet. Still, already during the real thing, Yuuri had almost dropped Yozak’s horse off the stream of air he had created.

Now, they were heading back to Blood Pledge Castle. Relatively, because it was still long way to go and they’d have to stay in many taverns before reaching it. It was slowly darkening. Yuuri had noticed that besides the horrible weather, the days became shorter. Autumn was coming.

It had been drizzling all day long, the weather only getting worse, and Yozak had tried to talk Yuuri into using his powers to work on some better weather. They had been bickering about that the entire time, Yuuri wishing he’d left Yozak back in the tavern; Armano was also driving him crazy with all that overly sudden solicitude. He had claimed, several times, that he wasn’t going to execute Armano, but the guy refused to believe him it seemed. Kadira was fine – the man was silent, did as told and didn’t cause any trouble, only that his eerie sapphire look was…he wouldn’t be able to tell what the man was thinking even if his life depended on it. Yuuri’s non-stop itching head and the thoughts about parasites sucking his blood out, didn’t rejoice him either. All in all, when the evening drew closer, Yuuri was about to kill someone.

He didn’t get a chance, though. 

Ignoring the strong wind and rain, Yuuri, wishing to get somewhere warm and get something to eat as soon as possible, was moving first, his faithful horse urged by the same thought. Suddenly, lightning struck right in front of his horse. Yuuri didn’t even have time to react. Later everything happened like it was in slow motion: Yuuri just managed to let out a scream as he was tossed off his horse’s back. The trees, mud and separate rain droplets rushed past his wide eyes as he fell down the slope and into the hollow underneath it. He heard the shouts somewhere above him, his legs and right thigh caught up on the rand of the slope, he rolled over, tried to grab on some grass, it slid and tore beneath his fingers, and he fell further. Then his body was caught somewhere on the brim again and he rolled, rolled and rolled on the muddy surface until half conscious, with a loud splash of water that sprayed everywhere around him, hit the ground with his back.

Wiping and blinking his mud splattered eyes, Yuuri fought his shock down, caught his breath and checked for broken bones. Miraculously, it seemed that there was nothing broken. His head was hurting in the place he had hit while falling, but it didn’t feel like it was too bad. 

Yuuri looked around. It was deadly dark, the only source of light wafting from high above his head. Feeling the rain falling on his face, all soaked through and chilled to the bone, Yuuri couldn’t help cursing. Then, interested in a weird noise that didn’t sound like echo repeating his curses, he raised his head to see something rolling off the high slope. The thing was making weird yelping and wincing sounds. 

Yuuri’s eyes widened as he suddenly realized the thing was going to hit him. He tried to scramble to his feet quickly but it was too late, and the thing smashed into him with such force that it knocked him back onto his back.

Dazed, Yuuri opened his eyes again. He could hardly breathe, the air being knocked out of his lungs, his chest being pressed.

“Kyota…?” the bundle on top of Yuuri winced.

Yuuri continued to stare at the heavy burden on top of him. He knew that voice.

“Anyone…?” the burden with a male’s voice started moving, pushed himself up Yuuri’s chest and looked around.

“Wolfram?” Yuuri finally managed to stutter. 

A loud startled squeak followed Yuuri’s words, the bundle jerking in unexpectedness to find out that the pool of mud underneath him was speaking. The fire element was summoned, and a flare of light flashed. The two boys stared at each other’s muddy faces in the feeble light.

“Yuuri…?” Wolfram mumbled, completely disarrayed.

“Wolfram…?”

“Yuuri?”

“Wolfram?”

“What the fuck?” Wolfram broke the chain first.

TBC


	12. Part 12

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 12

Deep down in the pitch, Yuuri continued to stare at Wolfram on top of him. His mind couldn’t comprehend that. It seemed that Wolfram’s wasn’t able either – the blond was staring back at Yuuri with the same lost look on his face.

Finally, still holding the fireball in his palm, Wolfram slid off Yuuri and stood up.

“I don’t get it…” Wolfram muttered while Yuuri was getting to his feet. “How…?” His gaze slid down Yuuri’s dripping wet coat. “How…?” He just shook his head in disbelief.

Yuuri, in turn, tried to figure out if he was hallucinating; he had hit his head pretty hard while falling. Or maybe that reached even further – very likely, he and the other three were already in the village, sleeping somewhere in the barn, and he was simply having a dream. Though, this was quite different from what he was used to dreaming lately…

As the new shock wore off, Yuuri’s teeth presumed their clattering. He staggered to his feet. No, it couldn’t be a dream – he was unbelievably cold and hurt in plenty of places he had hit while falling off the slope.

“Are you hurt? Did anything break? Are you okay? Yuuri? Yuuri!” Concerned, Wolfram shook Yuuri by his shoulders as that simply continued to stare at him.

Yuuri blinked slowly. Once, twice, thrice. “I’m… I think that I’m more or less fine…” he finally managed to answer after Wolfram shook him once again. “Wolfram…?” he exhaled the breath he had been holding for quite some time. Of their own accord, his hands clung to the blond’s wet coat lapels. Suddenly, an unbelievable relief washed over Yuuri. “That’s really you…” he muttered, dropping his forehead onto Wolfram’s chest. He felt like laughing. He raised his head to look at Wolfram’s with mud smeared face again.

Wolfram unconsciously answered the smile that had stretched on Yuuri’s lips. Then he looked up at the sky above their heads that was quickly darkening. “We need to get out of here,” he said.

Yuuri simply gazed at the fireball in Wolfram’s right hand. “I don’t think we can climb up – it’s pretty high and slippery; we are lucky not to have our necks twisted after rolling off the slope. I could rise us up with some element – water, earth or wind - but for some reason my head feels dizzy and I can’t pull on any power…”

Wolfram’s gaze returned to Yuuri’s dirty face to take him in worriedly. “Can you stand?” he asked Yuuri after a pause.

Yuuri looked at Wolfram in confusion. Only then did he realize that he was still holding on Wolfram’s coat lapels. He nodded and let go of them, straightening himself and felt Wolfram’s hand wrapping quickly around his arm when his step wasn’t that firm. He could feel himself shaking in cold, his teeth not setting together for a moment.

“It’s okay; Kyota saw me fall, he’ll bring someone,” Wolfram assured Yuuri, though the nervousness around the edge of the voice told Yuuri that his fiancé was trying to calm down as much himself as Yuuri.

Yuuri leaned on Wolfram’s side to keep his balance better. “I’m fine. Just a little dizzy.” He raised his head to find the blond looking around frantically. “It’s seems like a cave or something, both ends undermined. I think we should go a bit further, find some lee to dry off…” Yuuri said.

“Undermined?” Wolfram turned his head back to Yuuri, concern marking his face. “I think we have to get out of here, and as soon as possible.” The fire in his left hand flared higher and he turned to the dark tunnel on his left. His hold on Yuuri’s arm became firmer, and he started dragging the king together with himself.

“What’s the rush?” Yuuri muttered under his breath, falling into a quick step behind Wolfram. “I don’t think it’s very wise to move away from the spot we have fallen into…” But before Wolfram could talk, Yuuri heard a soft whispering somewhere far behind their backs. His eyes widening, Yuuri pushed on Wolfram’s back with his both hands. “Faster!”

But it didn’t matter how fast they ran, the murmur was getting closer to them. After several seconds the only thing Yuuri was able to feel and hear was his own mad heartbeat, his heavy breathing and Wolfram’s hand, tugging him to go faster. Dark spots were dancing against his eyes, and he felt weak. All this was surreal: it was as if he were watching himself from aside, running through the dark tunnel, the cold forgotten, the fire in Wolfram’s left hand being buffeted about then again flaring higher, leaving a sparkling trail behind the two of them. This couldn’t be happening. It simply…wasn’t real. There couldn’t be water chasing them, he couldn’t be running from death, and there couldn’t be Wolfram running together with him. Wolfram…

Yuuri cursed as he tripped on something, nearly pulling Wolfram down together with himself. He almost fell again, forward this time, as the blond yanked him up and continued dragging him after himself. His feet stumbling, but finally catching up, Yuuri soon fell into the run again. 

It was so close now that he could feel cold whiff from behind him. He saw Wolfram turn his head around, the prince’s eyes becoming wide with fear, his face ashen behind mud and dirt, the blond’s hand squeezing his wrist in a crushing hold. And then the gust hit them, and the next second they were swallowed by cold water. 

Yuuri was smashed into Wolfram’s back, the sparse reserve of air being forced out of his lungs. They both were tossed forward with the wave that continued to stream further, annihilating everything in its way. Instinctively, Yuuri wrapped his other arm around Wolfram’s waist not to let them be tossed and scrambled in separate directions. He closed his eyes.

“Don’t let go of me,” Yuuri choked out the warning when Wolfram’s grip on his wrist became lax in shock when the blond found himself in an air bubble. 

Wolfram spluttered and coughed, trying to get the precious air in his lungs. He yelped as after opening his blurred eyes he saw a protruding rock just against himself. They hit it and buffeted off, their bodies somehow not touching the rock, the waves catching them and carrying them further, making them bounce and shake, and cling to each other. 

Wolfram didn’t exactly comprehend what was happening. He stared, wide-eyed, at the dirty streaming water all around them, the rocks, logs and other things taking shape and form only while passing, barely missing them. He couldn’t see a thing in that dirty mass stretching all around. In that deafeningly roaring and rattling expansion he was aware of Yuuri panting heavily against his neck. He didn’t understand what was going on but he perfectly knew that Yuuri had something to do with it, and that Yuuri was barely holding it all together.

Suddenly, with a loud pop, they tore out of the water, flew for some time then hit the ground. Yuuri’s hold slipped off Wolfram, and he rolled over several times on the wet grass until he hit a tree. 

Shaking his head, Wolfram sat up then got to his feet and got out of the bush he had rolled into. A burst of flame in his hand lightened his surroundings, and the blond’s eyes set on crouching Yuuri several meters away. He rushed to Yuuri’s side to help him up, but Yuuri slumped back to the ground. Wolfram staggered back as Yuuri pushed him away.

Anxious, Wolfram watched Yuuri’s heaving back while Yuuri was vomiting water and what was left of his lunch. The unnerving sounds lasted for several minutes until Yuuri’s body calmed down, and Yuuri wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve and turned to look at Wolfram who seemed to be on fire while drying his clothes up. 

“C’mon,” Wolfram grabbed Yuuri by his arm and hauled the dazed boy up. “Give me your coat and clothes.” As Yuuri only stared at Wolfram’s mouth, clearly not comprehending the words, the blond simply began to undress the other boy. Yuuri’s fickle eyes watched Wolfram fuss about him and when he was completely naked, Wolfram shrouded him in his dry coat, and started stripping himself.

“Damn, hang in there,” Wolfram caught Yuuri when the other boy started sinking to the ground. “Yuuri,” he shook him. “Don’t even think of doing that to me! Yuuri! C’mon, don’t do that!” Wolfram’s voice lost the panicky note when Yuuri opened his eyes and tried to hold onto him. “It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Yuuri?” Wolfram was relieved to see Yuuri give a weak nod.

Wolfram finished stripping and dressed Yuuri in his dry clothes. Leaning the other boy on a nearby tree, he put on Yuuri’s wet clothes and quickly dried them off. Then he again took still shaking in cold Yuuri by his arm and tugged forward. “C’mon, we need to find some lee.” The fire in his hand flared higher to lighten more space around them.

After about twenty minutes of them staggering through the wood, Wolfram supporting Yuuri by his shoulders who was on the verge of shutting down, they had finally found a hollow tree. Wolfram recognized the signs that were painted and carved into the bark just at the entrance – several decades ago the tree was used as a shrine for the War God. 

Wolfram thought them very lucky to have found it - the tree was big enough to fit for them both and even to sleep in it. He led Yuuri inside and was glad to find that it was dry inside. He seated Yuuri on the ground and extinguished the fire, leaving only a thin streak burn in his palm.

“We’ll spend the night here. In the morning we’ll go look around and see where we are,” he said to Yuuri only to say something. The anxiety ate him only further when Yuuri didn’t acknowledge that he at least had heard him. Yuuri was still shivering, his teeth chattering in cold. 

Wolfram took his coat off and spread it on the ground then he took the coat off Yuuri’s shoulders. He lay on the coat and extinguished the fire completely. He reached out for Yuuri, pulled the other boy on himself squaring their bodies then, making sure there were no drafts, covered them both with the other coat. Wolfram wrapped his arms about Yuuri, raised his body temperature and felt Yuuri snuggle into him for more warmth. Wolfram wasn’t all that sure if that wouldn’t harm him, but hoped that two additional degrees wouldn’t leave any long lasting effects.

“Yuuri? Yuuri?” Wolfram shook the other boy.

“Hm?” Yuuri wasn’t aware of how relieved Wolfram was to hear him talk.

“How did it happen that you were in that pitch? Yuuri?” Wolfram shook Yuuri again as he didn’t answer.

“I fell…off the horse…” Yuuri muttered drowsily.

“Was Yozak with you?”

“Uh-huh,” Yuuri nodded against Wolfram’s chest.

“What happened to him?”

“He…”

Wolfram nudged Yuuri again as that started drowsing. “What happened to Yozak?”

“I don’t know… He… He left sitting on his horse. His friends too…”

“His friends?”

“Yeah…that…Armano and Kadira…”

“Who are they? Yuuri,” Wolfram shook the other boy. “Who are they?”

“His friends… Yozak said they were brothers in arms or something…”

“When did you meet them?”

“Meet… Several days ago…three…four or maybe five…”

“What do they look like?”

“Wolfram, I really want to sleep…” Yuuri muttered somnolently.

“You have a concussion – you can’t sleep or you might never wake up,” Wolfram’s arms tightened around him. “So please, try not to fall asleep, okay?” 

Yuuri nodded mutely against Wolfram’s chest.

“So tell me how they look.”

“You are really warm…”

“Tell me what they look like.”

“Who?”

“Armano and Kadira… What do they look like?”

“Armano…” Yuuri let out a loud yawn. “With short brown hair… Tall…quite handsome…with brown hair…bulky…tall…”

“And Kadira?”

“Reminds of Gunter. Only his eyes… I can never tell what he’s thinking. He’s real quiet…and…a bit scary.”

“Yuuri,” Wolfram shook Yuuri when the other boy seemed to doze off again. “Isn’t it…strange how we two happened to roll off the same slope?”

“Uh-huh… How…?”

“Kyota and I were returning from Kyota’s grandmother. My horse spooked and threw me off and I rolled down the slope…”

“Funny…” Yuuri yawned. 

“Funny?”

“Exactly the same happened to me…”

“Don’t sleep,” Wolfram gave a good jerk to Yuuri after several seconds of silence. “Actually I wondered about that weird air bubble you created earlier. How were you able to do that?”

“I…” Yuuri stifled a yawn. “I am able to wield all four elements… I…”

Yuuri almost fell asleep again in that shocked pause that settled in the hollow of the tree. His daze cleared a bit when he felt Wolfram shift.

“Are you good at wielding fire?”

A tired smile tugged at Yuuri’s lips. “I have burnt my coat… I tried to dry it. Like I saw you do it earlier… I burnt it… There was such a big hole…”

“So it was the air element you used to get us out of there… It seems you have more luck with air?”

“For some reason…the air… It is much easier to master… I think… Armano… He said the same.”

“And the earth element?”

“I haven’t tried it yet… I just…feel that I can… God, I want to sleep so much…” Yuuri moaned, nuzzling his forehead on Wolfram’s chest. “Ten minutes? It can’t be…”

“I’ll punch you for such talks.”

“You are…such a prick.”

“And you are such a wimp.”

Yuuri smiled happily and sighed against Wolfram’s shirt. He tried to keep his eyes open but they just kept closing of their own.

Wolfram’s voice calling to him and asking him all the possible things, while he drifted on and off, kept him up for several hours. He was unbelievably tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep. All he was aware of was the warmth and that voice breaking through the overwhelming daze. The air was getting colder and he snuggled closer into the warmth, burying his face in Wolfram’s chest. Half asleep, half sober he almost purred when Wolfram shifted beneath him, and he fell into a more comfortable position. His mind catching up with an astray thought, he realized he shouldn’t feel so, but nonetheless he felt warm, comfortable and relaxed.

And then the heavy night fell and, his thoughts starting to clear, he was still telling Wolfram about Yozak, about Armano and Kadira; about how the bridge was washed off; about that he was already going home, to Blood Pledge Castle; about how Armano bought him a new coat; told Wolfram about the louses in his hair; about how he got sick after eating at one tavern; related about Conrad and Yozak; said about how people became afraid of him after he had saved the men that had fallen in the river; about how it hurt him.

After an hour or so, after Yuuri himself started questioning Wolfram about what he had been doing while Yuuri was absent and how he had appeared near this country at all, Wolfram decided that the danger had passed. He fell asleep during Yuuri’s second question.

XXXXX

It was something about ten o’clock in the morning when Yuuri woke up. His leisure rousing from his sleep turned into a startled recollection of what happened yesterday. His eyes shot open, and he found himself staring at Wolfram’s chest. They were in the same hollow tree they were yesterday. It was half-light inside, the stream of light falling through the hole from outside. He could hear birds chirping and chattering in the wood, the trees sighing around them. Just above his head he could also hear Wolfram’s soft breathing.

Closing his eyes again, Yuuri let himself relax. Everything was okay, and the two of them were safe. He was sure that Yozak and Kadira with Armano were also fine. The men must be looking for him in that ditch that had now turned into a river. What had happened there? – Had a dam burst somewhere? Or maybe simply a river broke its bank or washed a slope away?

Wolfram smelled of mud, sweat and there was also that distinctive scent of the perfume Wolfram always used mixed with Wolfram’s own sweetish scent. They were lucky to be alive. He remembered himself running, Wolfram’s fingers tightly wrapped around his arm, dragging him after himself. Wolfram saved his life. Not only by urging him to run, but by simply being by his side. He doubted he’d have found enough strength to call on air element if it were only him. Maybe he’d have, maybe he wouldn’t. And then Wolfram kept him warm and safe, not letting him fall sleep.

Yuuri frowned realizing that Wolfram was warmer than he himself was. Did Wolfram have a fever? Yuuri opened his eyes and pressed his palm to Wolfram’s dirty forehead. It wasn’t too bad but Wolfram was really feverish. 

Yuuri removed his hand as Wolfram shifted, muttering something. The blond’s eyelashes fluttered and, with a start, his eyes concentrated on the muddy face above him. The events rushed back, and Wolfram found himself sitting up, Yuuri settling beside him.

“How do you feel?” Wolfram asked, after orienting himself in his surroundings.

“I’m fine,” Yuuri nodded. “But you seem to have a slight fever…”

Wolfram looked at him, still not quite awake. “Oh. No, it’s nothing – I’ve just raised my body temperature.” Already while formulating the words he lowered the temperature by half of a degree.

“You can do that?” Yuuri wondered. “Isn’t it dangerous?”

Wolfram shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I don’t think two degrees would do much harm.” The blond turned to Yuuri. “Let me see your head.” They shifted towards the opening in the tree to get more light, and, gingerly, Wolfram examined Yuuri’s head. He parted Yuuri’s washed off and blood matted hair at the place Yuuri had winced when he had felt it. 

“You have a nasty lump here,” Wolfram said. “And plenty of lice. Does it hurt?” he asked after Yuuri chuckled. He let go of Yuuri’s head.

“Only when they bite me,” Yuuri chuckled again. He settled next to Wolfram. “No, not really.”

“Try not to make any sudden movements,” Wolfram advised him.

Yuuri leaned on Wolfram’s side. “Thanks. I don’t know what I’d have done without you…”

“…Died probably,” Wolfram agreed, suppressing a smile as they both knew that they both were lucky to have stumbled into each other. He shrugged Yuuri off himself and stood up. He leaned down to take one of the coats from the ground and put it on. “Nature calls,” Wolfram said before leaving the hollow.

Yuuri watched Wolfram’s back until it disappeared then he yawned loudly, also stood up and stretched himself, his back cracking loudly. Everything was so much better in the morning. Now they simply had to find Yozak with those his two friends. Yuuri’s brows wrinkled as he remembered Wolfram saying something about Kyota. He didn’t remember much from yesterday, only separate pieces of information. But Wolfram had said something about Kyota. They had been traveling somewhere together or something.

Wolfram came back shortly, and Yuuri took his turn. After returning, he found Wolfram wrapped tightly in his coat, the blond shivering.

“It’s okay,” Wolfram shook his head after Yuuri’s concerned look given to him. “It’s that after dropping the temperature to normal it seems to be much colder. I’ll get used to it soon.”

Yuuri and Wolfram left the hollow. It wasn’t raining anymore, the weather wasn’t offering much warmth, but being better than yesterday. A corner of sun shyly glancing down at them was seen. A bit farther from them, a ditch half-filled with muddy water was seen. Now it was calm, not rushing, just floating.

Wolfram raised his head to look over the tops of the trees in which direction the sun was. Yuuri, not bothering with that, called on his earth element.

“There’s a group of people to the north of us. I’m not sure who they are or what they are doing, but I think we should head there,” Yuuri said after several seconds.

Wolfram gave him a searching look. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you are able to use all four elements?”

“I just recently got to know that myself. Besides, I can hardly control them. It’s more like raw surges of useless power than anything.”

“Well, it seems to me you’re dealing just fine,” Wolfram said before turning to go to north. “I just hope you know about the risk you are taking.”

Yuuri nodded. “Yes, Yozak warned me.” He followed Wolfram. “He said there had been some trouble with previous kings…”

Wolfram was silent for several seconds. “As no one was ever interested in telling me that,” he snorted, “I wouldn’t know anything. But yes, there are enough of stories about people going mad. You know, had I known that, I doubt I’d have let you go roaming around the country that easily after you destroyed that army…”

“Yep, Yozak said that that’s exactly why nobody told you…”

“Nice,” Wolfram scowled, swatting a twig out of his way. “So did you finally manage to find what you had been looking for?” he asked.

Yuuri thought for a moment. “I think I did,” he said. He found himself hoping and at the same time afraid that Wolfram would ask something, but Wolfram simply nodded and continued making his way through the bushes and trees.

“And how did you appear in that ditch?” Yuuri asked after a moment of silence. He could remember that Wolfram related to him about that but it was all mixed in his head. “You said something about you and Kyota visiting some grandmother or maybe I just dreamt that…”

“No, Kyota really took me together to visit his grandmother.”

“You left Blood Pledge Castle to visit Kyota’s grandmother?” Yuuri asked, incredulous.

“No, I left the castle to… Well, I just wanted some activity. Besides, it was long ago when I visited Delam. I don’t think you know, but Kyota has a brother, Arisu. He had been growing up together with us, and I also missed Katarina. She’s such a fine woman,” Wolfram related, not noticing Yuuri’s confused look. “And I’m quite used to Kyota’s stepfather, Edohi, too. I think it was a wonderful idea to visit them all… I have missed them very much.”

“Was it Docharo’s idea?”

Wolfram gave an affirmative nod. “And I’m really grateful for that. Look,” the prince pointed at their left side, where Yuuri saw something similar to a path, “it seems there’s a river nearby. Let’s follow the track.”

Yuuri agreed that it would be a good idea. He was thirsty and itching everywhere.

“Don’t you think it was…well, maybe fate that we stumbled across each other like that?” Yuuri chuckled. “It’s really weird.” 

“You are too valuable to simply die,” Wolfram shrugged, after which Yuuri nearly fell over. “Whatever gods there are they must really like you. Though, I think that Kyota would have befitted better to get stuck with you.”

Yuuri couldn’t think of anything else to say and just stayed silent until the animal tracks led them out into a clearing. The river wasn’t wide here. Yuuri thought that it must be the same river he and Yozak had crossed over. But now he couldn’t tell on which side of the river they were.

It wasn’t that warm but they decided to wash themselves – neither of them had money and it wasn’t clear how long they would have to wander through the forest.

Yuuri folded his clothes, put them on the grass farther from the bank and waded into the lake. Wolfram was already washing himself a bit farther on the left. Yuuri intended to begin his own washing procedure as his eyes suddenly swept back up Wolfram’s bare back and up to his nape. What the…

“Wolfram?”

“Umm?”

“What the fuck is on your neck?”

Yuuri’s way too composed voice and the added refined curse-word made Wolfram stiffen, then his head turned to Yuuri. Yuuri’s intense gaze baffled Wolfram even more. He fumbled about on his neck, where Yuuri’s eyes were locked on. Suddenly, Wolfram remembered.

“Oh…” Wolfram blushed brightly. His eyes cast somewhere at the water at Yuuri’s waist, Wolfram rubbed his neck with his hand absentmindedly.

Yuuri’s eyes rose from Wolfram’s neck to his red face. 

HICKEYS. 

Those really were hickeys…

Surprised, Wolfram looked around as water around him started to bubble intensively. His wide eyes shot to Yuuri's dark ones but Wolfram only managed to let out a started yelp and was swallowed deep by the lake.

TBC


	13. Part 13

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 13

“Wolfram? Wolfram?” Yuuri shook Wolfram by his shoulders frantically. “Wolfram, c’mon! Don’t scare me like that! Wolfram!” With numb and trembling hands, he continued to shake the blond. “Wolfram, no! God, no!” 

Panicking, Yuuri tried to remember everything he had been taught about saving a drowning person, but it just turned into a scrambled mess in his panicking brain. Something about breathing in one and pushing on the chest five times…?

Yuuri doubted that he had ever been that relieved in his life when Wolfram gagged and started vomiting water. He turned the coughing and spluttering Wolfram to his side and he himself leaned back on his hunches. 

Yuuri watched the blond vomit water. He had not a clue why Wolfram was with him, in this world; presumed, but didn’t know exactly. In addition to that, he didn’t know where they were. Besides, they were half-naked, only with those ridiculous “strings”. He had no idea how he was going to bring them home, whatever home it was – in Shin Makoku or here, on Earth.

“Okay now?” Yuuri asked after Wolfram’s coughing subsided, and the boy’s face started returning to the normal color. He reached his hand out to stroke the blond’s back soothingly, but retracted it when, as soon as his hand touched Wolfram’s skin, the prince’s back tensed. Wolfram was starting to shiver in cold.

Wolfram nodded. Getting his bearings back, he looked around. He tried to pull on his power to get warm but there was no answer and he failed. Confused, he raised his head higher. They were on a sandy beach; he could see several people walking towards them. They were…dressed funny. There was…a boat farther in the lake. But the boat was…and something was off with the air around him… They were on Earth. On Earth.

Wolfram’s breath seized, and a sudden flash of panic passed through his whole system. Wolfram turned to give Yuuri a stunned look with a dozen questions frozen in it.

Yuuri shrugged. “Have no idea,” he said to those wildly staring emerald eyes.

XXXXX

Wolfram watched Yuuri speak with people that had gathered around them. He didn’t understand a word of what was said. It all was just a meaningless string of words spilling from their mouths. So, while Yuuri simply ignored him and seemed to have struck a long and mutually interesting conversation with a young woman, he just sat on the sand, shivered in cold and tried to prevent himself from panicking. He hated this world. It was filled with confusing and scary things, and he didn’t understand the order in it. And the noise - all consuming, not ceasing for a second noise - was the worst.

“They want to call the police,” Yuuri turned to Wolfram. “But I’m trying to settle on a clinic. Will you be able to run if we have to?”

“The police? A clinic?” Wolfram mouthed around the unknown words.

“Doesn’t matter, I’ll explain later,” Yuuri said while partly turning back to the woman. “It’s all good and well – I know where we are. We just need to get clothes and call my parents to get us, but this one is tough to talk out of it.”

Yuuri finally managed to persuade the woman that they were completely fine. She let him use her mobile phone, and Yuuri called his parents. She stayed with Yuuri and Wolfram for the entire hour until Yuuri’s mother came for them.

“Pfew,” Yuuri exhaled after climbing onto the backseat and closing the door of the car after himself and Wolfram. “She’s a social worker. On vacation. She had been babbling something about how irresponsible you are letting us bathe without observance,” he chuckled, leaning forward to the driver seat. “Hey mom,” he grinned at his mother. “Thanks for coming for us. I know it’s sudden but it’s one of those stupid “sucking-water” things.”

Yuuri’s grin widened even more when his mother gave him a dazzling smile.

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” she shook her head. “I like driving.” She turned to her son’s fiancé to grin and greet him warmly to which Wolfram only smiled uncomfortably. He couldn’t understand a thing she was saying.

“Did you bring the clothes?” Yuuri asked.

She clasped her hands. “Oh, sure I did!” She leaned over to the free passenger’s seat next to her. “Here,” she gave the bundle to Yuuri.

“How long have I been gone?” Yuuri asked while ransacking the bundle. Those were all his summer clothes. He found the warmest ones and passed them over to Wolfram. 

“For three days. It’s Friday. Here, I brought some blankets as you had asked,” his mother held the blankets out to Wolfram as it seemed that Wolfram was the one cold. After Wolfram had silently taken the blankets, she turned back to Yuuri who was pulling a shirt on. “So how did your camping go?”

“Huh?” Yuuri’s head rose at her. “Ah, you mean… Well, it was fine, had some interesting happenings. By the way, do you know something for lice?”

“Lice?” his mother repeated. She thought for a moment. “Not really. But we can drop by at a chemist’s. I’m sure they’ll suggest something.”

Despite that sometimes his mother not having any common sense disturbed Yuuri or got on his nerves, sometimes it also made him glad when she didn’t ask any questions and was always ready to help her dearest son anytime. Fondly, Yuuri smiled at the back of his mother's head when she turned away. She started the car, and they began to move.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Yuuri’s mother turned back to Yuuri while she was making a turn in a quite busy crossing. She completely ignored the beeping on her right. “–Your father is going to be on vacation for a week. I’m afraid you two will have to spend the whole time alone. Well, I’ll call Shori. Your father and I are going on a small trip to Kyoto.”

Yuuri turned to Wolfram whose head, caught up in Yuuri’s yellow T-shirt he had been dressing, shot up at the familiar sounding name. “Really?” Yuuri asked his mother. “What will you do there?” He couldn’t think of a time his mother and father went somewhere together. Then he realized that exactly that was the problem. “Ah, okay,” he waved his hands. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll do some sightseeing and stuff.”

“And where has Shori gone to?” Yuuri asked. He knew that if Shori were at home, he’d never have allowed their mother to drive.

“Oh, honey, don’t you know?” she turned around, but as Yuuri was insistently pointing back at the road, she came back to watching the traffic. “Shori moved away a couple of days ago.”

“He what?” Yuuri startled. “Where to?”

“He bought a flat. It’s about one hour by car to get there. Want me to drive us there?” she offered.

Yuuri shook his head quickly in refusal. “Where did he get the money?” he asked interested. As far as he knew there was no way his parents or Shori himself could afford that. 

“It’s that man, the one Shori is going to take over for after he grows up,” she chirped.

Yuuri didn’t comment on anything, just leaned into the seat. He’d have rather preferred that Shori would have asked for money from him. He could have helped his brother out. Submersed in thoughts, Yuuri stared at the window, behind which the quickly flowing bollards were seen.

Wolfram had ridden in a car earlier. And this time was the worst of all times. He hadn’t recovered from all the shock yet, and the cold was still seizing him and shaking his body. He couldn’t stand that vibrating that was being emanated by the car and was going through his entire body. The humming was making him anxious and restless, too. 

Yuuri had been talking with his mother and completely ignoring him then simply turned away from him. He knew Yuuri was angry with him for those hickeys, and he had a right to be. He would have spent some time worrying about as to what Yuuri would say or do later, but he couldn’t concentrate on anything else except on not being sick. So he just sat silently at the window and tried to hold it down while those waving motions of the car were rocking his body.

“Mom, stop the car!” Yuuri called rather urgently. He quickly leaned over Wolfram to open the door at Wolfram’s side. “Jesus, Wolfram,” Yuuri pushed him out of the car, “why didn’t you say anything?!” As quickly as possible, he led the blond a bit farther from the road and stood aside while Wolfram was heaving with seizures.

“You okay?” Yuuri asked after a few minutes when Wolfram’s fit seemed to lessen.

Wolfram nodded weakly. “I’m sorry. I…”

“Hell, Wolfram, don’t apologize for that,” Yuuri patted Wolfram on his back. He frowned when Wolfram shied away from his hand.

“I’m okay,” the blond brushed with his hand over his sweaty forehead. “We can ride furth-”

Yuuri shook his head. “We’ll wait a little. Besides, look,” he motioned with his head to the left where his mother was picking some flowers she had found by the roadside. “I don’t think we’ll move that soon…”

Blankly, Wolfram stared at Yuuri’s mother picking flowers. He could point-blank tell that he didn’t understand women. True, he didn’t interact with many of them, but the ones he had been around: his own mother, Katarina, Annissina, Elisabeth, the maids… They were… Although he had no idea what, there was something off with them.

Yuuri’s gaze slid over Wolfram who sat down on the grass, his eyes fixed on his mother, but not really seeing her. Yuuri’s bright yellow T-shirt, which he rarely wore because it was still too big for him, was also too large for Wolfram and was loosely hanging on Wolfram’s frame. The yellow color was making a weird combination with Wolfram’s dark blond hair. The gray sweatpants with two black strips at each side didn’t suit to the T-shirt either. Wolfram was also wearing Yuuri’s white sneakers.

He badly wanted to talk to Wolfram, but had no real idea what to say. Oh, there were many things he wanted to say and ask, but there were some he wasn’t that sure about and didn’t want to rush yet. And, to tell the truth, he was a little scared. Wolfram was acting…strange and all that…thing with hickeys, which was undoubtedly Kyota’s doing…

Yuuri’s eyes swept back to his mother who let out an excited shout after finding some varicolored flower. She was already holding a huge bouquet in her left hand. After picking that last flower she waved at the two boys and rushed back to the car.

“Here,” she pushed the bouquet into Yuuri’s hands. “Oh, it would so suit to your wedding dress I presented you on your birthday!” she clapped her hands joyfully.

Yuuri almost dropped the flowers, and his head shot up to Wolfram, but then he remembered that, thank gods, Wolfram didn’t understand a word his mother was saying. That would have been some embarrassment! All red, Yuuri glared at his giggling mother and climbed into the car. Wolfram followed him. The car started, and they moved again. They stopped, shortly, at a chemist’s, Yuuri jumping out of the car, running to it and jogging back with a full bag of various ointments, shampoos and drugs, then they moved further.

Concerned, Yuuri watched Wolfram the entire time they had been driving. He didn’t remember that Wolfram would have reacted that bad to a car drive earlier. The prince’s face had changed colors several times, and Yuuri was relieved when they finally pulled over at their garage. Wolfram was first to get out of the car and, for some time, he simply stood leaning on the wall, his both feet on the firm ground, until he regained most of his senses.

One or two meters away, Yuuri, with flowers in his hands, was waiting for Wolfram to get his bearings back. Yuuri’s mother meanwhile drove the car into the garage and locked it. Again, she started ransacking through her handbag looking for the keys for the house. After finding them, she waved them victoriously in the air, passed Yuuri and Wolfram, rounded the corner, opened the gate to the house and went to the door.

Yuuri and Wolfram followed her a minute later. Yuuri only sighed when, after his mother trying to open the door for several seconds, it appeared that she had forgotten to lock it at all. He pushed the door open, let his mother pass then led Wolfram inside.

Yuuri went into the kitchen to look for a vase to arrange the flowers in. Yuuri’s mother climbed upstairs to change, and Wolfram found himself alone in the hall. He made several steps through the door and towards the living-room, which was connected to the kitchen, being separated only by a thin wooden disjunction with an embrasure which let him see Yuuri rustling through the lower cupboards. 

Nothing had changed from when he visited the house the last time: the same small glass table surrounded by the same mauve couch and mauve armchairs; closer to the kitchen there was a small wooden table with several wooden chairs at each side; the same light violet lampshade in a shape of a flower hanging above the table; the same green curtains at each side of transparent sliding door behind which there was seen the garden with the same children’s pool. Yuuri’s mother probably believed that keeping it filled with water would help Yuuri to get back directly to the house. Apparently, it hadn’t worked. 

With a water-filled vase in his left hand and the flowers in his right, Yuuri turned around, and it suddenly struck him that the blond looked somehow lost while standing in the middle of the living-room. Yuuri put the vase on the table near the kitchen and quickly arranged the flowers. 

“Do you want to have a snack or…” Yuuri turned to Wolfram, thinking about what else he could suggest.

Wolfram shook his head, refusing. “I…I think I just want to go to sleep…”

Surprised and a bit alarmed, Yuuri turned his head to look through the sliding door where it was still light. “It’s not even seven o’clock…” Yuuri drawled.

Wolfram followed Yuuri’s gaze outside. He shrugged. Yuuri turned to look back at Wolfram. The blond really looked tired. 

“Okay. I’ll run a bath for you,” Yuuri nodded.

“Thanks, I can run it myself. I know how,” Wolfram said before leaving the room. 

Yuuri scratched his head and followed Wolfram. Wolfram always got like that if someone maintained that he wasn’t able or didn’t know how to do something.

Wolfram pushed the glass door open and entered the bathroom. He walked over to the tub and started fumbling with the tap. Soon he got the water flowing to his liking. He walked over to the bathroom closet on his left to look over the toiletries deposited there.

“Oh, wait,” Yuuri remembered suddenly. “I’ll be back in a second!” he shouted already running down the hall where he had put the bag from the chemist’s. On his way he met his father who had just come back from the supermarket and was carrying several bags. Yuuri quickly greeted, shortened his latest experiences to: “I’m back, and Wolfram for unknown reason is together with me, I have lice and I’ll tell you more after I give this to Wolfram ”; and ran back into the bathroom.

Wolfram blinked at a bag that Yuuri presented him soon. “What’s that?”

“Well, I have lice, and you have been hanging around me for long enough, so I think you should use some of this,” Yuuri said, starting to arrange all the bottles and packets on the small counter next to the hutch. He could feel Wolfram glaring at the back of his head. “Yeah… Sorry for that…”

Wolfram took one of the bottles into his hand. He unscrewed the cap and smelled the contents. “Oh, god,” he gagged. “And I have to rub this into my hair?!”

Yuuri took the bottle from Wolfram and smelled it too. “Wow,” he coughed, waving his hand under his nose. “Must be damn effective. If nothing else, then the stench might kill them…”

Wolfram took in the rest of the remedies and chose another bottle. “Well this one doesn’t smell half bad as the previous one,” he said after smelling it.

“I think maybe you should use them all…” Yuuri scratched his head again.

Wolfram gave Yuuri a searching look. “Do you want me to go bald?” he snickered then. He chose the less stinking bottle and held it at Yuuri’s face. “How do I use it?”

Yuuri leaned to the counter to take the packet the bottle had been taken from. He pulled a small note out of it. “Wet your hair, rub this into your hair, hold for ten minutes then wash it off. You’ll have to do the same after three days and then one more time later just for prophylactic purposes,” he said after reading it.

“Fine.” Resigned to his fate, Wolfram went to the bathtub. He put the bottle on the edge. He wanted to undress his yellow T-shirt but then turned back to Yuuri who was still standing by the counter filled with the bottles. “Will His Majesty finally get the hell out here?”

Yuuri blushed. “Sure. But I thought you might want me to help you with that shampoo…”

Wolfram gave him a confused look. “Is there something more I should know about using it?”

Yuuri flustered. “Well, no…” he turned to the door quickly. He motioned at the cabinet. “Here, the clean towels are here, and…”

“Thanks, I remember from earlier,” Wolfram cut him off. He started pulling the T-shirt over his head, and Yuuri shut the door behind himself.

Wolfram stuck his head under the streaming water from the tap, waited for the water to run off a little off his hair then poured some of the stinky liquid onto his palm and started rubbing it into his hair. As it soon became frothy, it was easy to use it. After that Wolfram turned the tap off and sat down on the edge of the filled bathtub. Ten minutes… He wasn’t very sure how Yuuri measured time here, but it was way too long than he could handle now. So he went to the bathroom cabinet to look at the varicolored bottles and soap bars. He wasn’t even interested in them. Everything was just flowing against his eyes and he felt like he’d be in a bad dream, watching himself from the outside. He didn’t feel well. He was unsure and lost and didn’t know how to act, he was still nauseated and the skin on his head was becoming itchy.

Finally, holding several bottles in his hands, Wolfram left the cabinet and returned to the tub. After staring at it for several seconds he put the bottles on the edge of it then went to the basin. It was quite difficult to get his head under the flowing tap, but he managed and washed the medicine off then came back to the tub.

He used the same shampoo he had been using the previous time he had been visiting here. He liked the smell very much – it was refreshing and reminded some kind of fruit but wasn’t sweet. 

Taking his time to try gathering his thoughts and getting rid of the stench that was still lingering on his hair, Wolfram leaned his shampooed head back on the edge of the bathtub. 

Why…? Why did Yuuri bring him to his world? Yuuri knew he hated it. Maybe that was it – Yuuri wanted to punish him? Yuuri was right – he had done an unforgiving thing. What if the political repercussions of the king's fiancé being unfaithful had already reached…? Oh god…

Wolfram groaned in distress and sank deeper into the water. What the hell had bitten into him to…? Had he really been that much of an idiot to run to Kyota, then, against the whole Kyota’s family and their servants, declare that he was free and then almost sleep with the man? Couldn’t he have waited for Yuuri to come back and terminate the engagement officially?! If the talks started…Yuuri would never forgive him… Yuuri was already angry and… Oh gods, what Yuuri was going to do to Kyota…? If that floated to the surface, Yuuri would have to take some measures to prove he was a king capable of dealing with such things.

Wolfram just shook his head then submersed deeply into the water so that only several blonde locks were seen through the frothy surface. Holding his breath, blindly, he groped for the sponge he had earlier put on near the bathtub then, after locating it, found some bar of soap and stood up to soap himself down. He was tired, his head was spinning and he still stank. He didn’t want to but couldn’t stop thinking. He felt horrible. But he felt bad not for the things he thought he should feel bad about. Yuuri didn’t care if he was with Kyota or not, if anything, secretly, he was probably glad that he found someone and wouldn’t be running after him anymore. Though, of course, Yuuri was angry that he went to Kyota before the engagement was officially terminated. That hadn’t been a wise move politically, that had been a huge mistake.

Wolfram pulled the plug out and turned the shower on. He leaned his head on the wall and closed his eyes while the water was beating down his back. If it was only politics, then why did he feel like a complete shit? Why did he care if Yuuri saw those hickeys or not? Why the hell did he feel like he’d betrayed Yuuri? Why did it hurt so much? Gods, it was all so stupid… He had fought the battles where people died before his eyes, where things were thousands times worse than this and here he was feeling faint because of some hickeys on his neck. Big deal…

Cursing himself under his breath, Wolfram finished washing off the soap and shampoo. He took the white towel he had readied from earlier, brushed with it over his skin several times, rather turned his hair into a tousled mess than dried it, then he just wrapped the towel around his waist and left the bathroom.

In the living-room, from a bowl of salad that he was holding in his hands Yuuri turned around at the soft steps behind him. “Oh. Wolfram… Want some?” he quickly held out the bowl for Wolfram to get his thoughts back from where they had wandered into.

Wolfram shook his head in denial, and Yuuri’s eyes followed several droplets that left the soaked blond hair and ran down to Wolfram’s neck, then shoulders, chest and down his waist, getting absorbed into the towel. Swiftly, Yuuri’s eyes rose back to the blond but Wolfram was staring somewhere over his shoulder. Yuuri followed Wolfram’s gaze. The television. He knew Wolfram hated it. 

Wolfram’s emerald eyes blinked back to Yuuri when the screen flickered and went black. Yuuri tossed the remote back onto the table. “You seriously don’t want anything? At least some tea or juice or anything?”

“Where can I sleep?” 

“Oh, right.” Yuuri put his bowl back onto the table. He motioned for Wolfram to follow him. They climbed upstairs, and Yuuri pushed the door to his room open. He went to ransack through his wardrobe then pulled an old wide T-shirt he sometimes used as nightwear. After digging deeper he also found a pair of loose shorts. “Here,” he held out the clothes for Wolfram. “You can use them for nightclothes.”

Wolfram took the clothes. Yuuri wanted to leave the room but then noticed that Wolfram was following him. “Do you need anything else?”

Confused, Wolfram blinked at him. “I…”

“Oh, the blinds. Sorry.” Yuuri quickly walked over to the window to close the blinds. “Well, I think it should all be fine. Do you want me to leave the vent open?”

“Oh… here…You're giving me your bed?” Wolfram asked, confused even more. “Where will you sleep?”

Yuuri was taken aback by the question. It hadn’t even occurred to him that Wolfram would think… “I thought…we’d share…” he muttered and at the same time saw the blond frown at the bed.

“Today, I’m not into jokes, Yuuri,” Wolfram’s angry eyes rose to meet his. “Anything would do. There’s a couch in the living-room, I can use it, and Shori… Damn.” He squatted down to pick up the T-shirt that had fallen from his hands.

Yuuri simply stared at the blond’s back. He hadn’t ever believed that a day like this might come. And when he had thought of that, he had always believed he’d be unbelievably happy… though now… He was going to kill Kyota Docharo when he went back to Shin Makoku.

“You will sleep here,” Yuuri said in a tone that didn’t leave any room for protesting. “I’ll go into Shori’s room.”

Wolfram only shrugged. He walked over to the bed and sat down then started pulling the T-shirt over his head. 

Yuuri shifted from one foot to another. “Aren’t you going to wait at least until your hair dries up?” He almost stepped back when Wolfram’s emerald eyes shot to him.

“You know, if you are so worried about your shirt, I can just sleep naked,” Wolfram spat, peeling the shirt off and throwing it Yuuri in the face.

Yuuri caught the fabric before it hit his face. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” Yuuri snapped, throwing the T-shirt back to Wolfram. “You can burn it, for all I care! Can’t you behave?!”

“I?! Behave?!” Wolfram spluttered, seriously considering turning the T-shirt into a crisp. Then he remembered that he wasn’t able to use his power on Earth. That infuriated him even more. “It was you who brought me into this stinking world!” he yelled, jumping from the bed. “I hate it! Can’t stand it! Are you that immature to do that?! Big deal you see – some hickeys!” Wolfram’s fists clenched at his sides. “Scold me, lock me, beat me, punish me, whatever! But why the fuck do you almost drown me and then bring me into this fucking hell and then…act all worried and prissy!” His voice was now so loud, Yuuri was sure that his parents could hear Wolfram. “Fuck you!” Wolfram screamed. “If you are going to do something – do it, and stop playing around!” the prince finished, all red and panting in fury.

Yuuri simply stared at him. “You know, Wolfram, if you accuse me of trying to kill you once again, you’ll really see what it is like to make me angry,” he finally said, approaching the blond and looking him squarely into the eyes. “Dress, go to sleep, and we’ll talk tomorrow, after you had your breakfast and a cup of nice hot tea. 

“And I didn’t bring you to this world on my will – I still have no control over traveling between the worlds. For some reason, you just happened to be sucked in together with me. And if you don’t stop acting all paranoid, I’ll just give you some sedatives. Got it?”

Wolfram gritted his teeth and plopped back onto the bed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Yuuri frowned. “No, this piece of advice was given me being your friend and not your king.”

“Whatever,” Wolfram muttered, pulling the T-shirt back on.

Yuuri just shook his head and left the room.

TBC


	14. Part 14

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 14

Yuuri was still boiling inside after leaving Wolfram to sleep in his room. Wolfram throwing such accusations at him! -Bringing him over to the Earth, almost drowning him, sneering at Wolfram… He had not done that! True, he was angry with Wolfram, but… To tell the truth, he was more scared than angry. Just when he had finally realized that his feelings seemed to really run deeper than those of friendship, just when he had finally started untangling himself from that chaotic mass of thoughts that he had been in since he had started having those dreams and when…

“Is everything okay?” Yuuri’s father asked.

Yuuri looked up at the end of the steps where his father stood, giving him a concerned look. Yuuri nodded slowly. He climbed downstairs and turned to the kitchen-living-room where his mother was finishing preparing dinner.

“He’s just tired and in a bad mood,” Yuuri said while passing his father. “It will be all better in the morning.” He was also trying to convince himself of that. Yuuri turned around at the silence that had followed his words and saw his father giving a meaningful look to his mother.

“No, it’s okay, you two don’t need to change your plans,” Yuuri shook his head. “We’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? We are going away very early in the morning. It’s not really… I haven’t even greeted Wolfram… Does he feel okay? What will you do if he gets ill?”

Yuuri plopped down onto the mauve sofa. He leaned tiredly into it. “Just go,” he waved with his hand in the air. “He’ll understand. Besides, this time he can’t speak our language, nor can he understand what you say, so if something happens you won’t be able to help anyway. I’ll just call an ambulance if something’s wrong with him…”

Yuuri’s father sat down on the armchair opposite the sofa. “Why is that? The previous time…”

“This time it’s different – somehow I’ve accidentally dragged him with myself here,” Yuuri explained. He scowled mentally at himself. It had really been an accident, but he could presume why it happened – his anger had been explosive and it probably had somehow reacted with his water element and triggered the transportation.

“I see…”

Despite that he just wanted to sink deeper into the sofa and simply lie down for some time, Yuuri forced himself to stand up. “I’ll just take a shower and then be back for dinner,” he sighed before going to the bathroom.

Yuuri was quick with rubbing the stinky mass into his hair then sat down on the edge of the bathtub to wait for it to reach and strangle all of those disgusting bugs in his hair. He’d have been very malevolent, but his attention wasn’t on that – he was thinking about his spat with Wolfram. They were both tired, and Wolfram’s temper was getting the best of him. He was afraid it all might not work out tomorrow as he was hoping.

XXXXX

Before going to sleep, Yuuri went to check on Wolfram. He was quite worried about the blond. Wolfram didn’t seem to be well, and he was afraid that it might be more than the tiredness and change of air. He thought that it might be because of Wolfram keeping his body temperature raised or getting cold after almost drowning… Really, there were more reasons than he wanted them to be.

Yuuri opened the door softly. Wolfram’s back was turned to him, the blond wrapped into the sheets to his waist, the T-shirt rolled up, Wolfram’s upper half almost bare. Yuuri’s eyes immediately set on the prince’s back where the usually smooth and healthy skin was colored in bruises and scratches that Wolfram had probably gotten from falling off the slope and getting tossed to and fro in that stream and from falling onto the ground from that bubble. 

He had seen the injuries earlier and intended to treat them after they'd washed in that lake, but then they got sucked in. Later, Wolfram’s weird and hostile behavior towards him didn’t really encourage him to touch the blond. 

Yuuri tiptoed to the bed and squatted down beside it onto a small red rug. The blond hair was still damp, the pillow, underneath Wolfram’s head, with a wide spread darker spot on it. Wolfram was really begging for an illness.

Not touching the skin, Yuuri raised his hands over Wolfram’s back. Slowly, not to rouse Wolfram, he pushed the T-shirt up even more and started spreading the healing majutsu over the bruised back. The warmth wafting from the bruised skin made Yuuri’s hands tremble a little.

After a couple of minutes, Wolfram shifted, turning more to his side, subconsciously exposing his back to the pleasant treatment. Yuuri smiled to himself, his gaze lifting to Wolfram’s back of the head, his hands finally stopping to shake. He could still feel that smell from the medicine Wolfram had used, though his own head stank much worse than Wolfram’s. Still keeping his left palm over Wolfram’s back, he reached out to stroke the blond locks. 

It was soft. And still damp.

Yuuri’s hand froze entangled in the locks as Wolfram muttered something in his sleep and shifted, his back pressing against Yuuri’s left palm, Wolfram curling a bit into himself. Yuuri’s eyes widened, the seeping warmth of air against Yuuri’s palm now turning into a suddenly significant heat. But as Wolfram didn’t wake, Yuuri relaxed and stroked the blond locks again. The heat from Wolfram’s back somehow made its way to Yuuri’s cheeks to spread there.

“Kyota…”

Yuuri’s breath stuck in his throat. Wolfram shifted again, and Yuuri saw that his fingers were clenching the blond’s hair in a fist. He let go of it. His gaze came back to his left hand resting on Wolfram’s back that had somehow turned into scorching lava. He retracted his palm.

Yuuri waited until Wolfram sank back into the deeper sleep then finished spreading the healing majutsu, walked over to the door, opened it and then slammed it shut behind himself with such force that all the glasses jingled in the house. He perfectly knew he was behaving like an immature idiot, but that didn’t make him feel any better or worse.

Wolfram jolted in the bed, his head rising quickly to look around the room. Not noticing anything out of the order - the noises in the house and street not being different from the usual ones - he settled back under the covers and fell asleep again.

Without a word, Yuuri climbed downstairs and passed his father whose questioning gaze was fixed on him. He went into the kitchen-living-room, opened the fridge, took out a pack of juice from the door-shelf, slammed the door shut, found a clean glass, poured some for himself and, pushing his chair noisily to the table, sat down. In three seconds he downed the glass down, pushed the screeching chair back, stood up, walked over to the fridge, put the juice back, slammed the door shut and started climbing back upstairs to Shori’s room.

“Goodnight,” he said already at the top of the stairs. “Have a safe journey. Call when you get there,” Yuuri added before going into Shori’s room.

With his clothes on, Yuuri plopped with his back onto the freshly made bed and closed his eyes. Heaving a deep sigh, he opened his eyes to glare at the ceiling. He was really angry with Wolfram, so angry and pissed that he was almost boiling. But it was the most ridiculous thing why he felt like that – it was because he felt frustrated and betrayed. And because he felt betrayed, he also felt hurt. Another, even more ridiculous thing was that it was his own fault: constantly, day after day he was telling Wolfram that there couldn’t be anything between them, and that he had to stop chasing him. So, Wolfram stopped. And slept with Kyota instead. 

But then… Did he really…did he really understand himself what he felt? After waking up in that hollow tree and hearing Wolfram’s soft breathing above him, he felt… He wasn’t even sure what he felt - there had been such a rush of various feelings: calmness, gratefulness, trust, friendship, love, joy, - everything stringing into a tight and warm ball of feeling in his chest. Then he had been sure and determined that he would never let go of Wolfram again. But then confusion and indecision set in again. Had he been and was he really…jealous or was that just…anger that Kyota and Wolfram ignored him as a king? 

Yuuri glared at the ceiling hard. Okay, he liked Wolfram and realized that Wolfram was dearer to him than he had presumed earlier. But…was he sure that he…wanted…their relationship to take that turn? Several months ago the thought of touching another guy was unsettling and weird…and…and it still was. Was he sure that he… wanted Wolfram?

And…and while he was trying to figure it all out, Kyota wasn’t wasting time. And being hard pressed on time didn’t help any.

Yuuri rolled over onto his stomach. “I’m sooo screwed…” he muttered into the sheets.

XXXXX

Wolfram got up late. When he padded into the kitchen-living-room, it was past eleven. Yuuri was watching the television; something was moving in the screen, the non-understandable language spilling from it.

Yuuri turned around to greet the coughing blond. He switched the TV off and stood up.

“Are you hungry?” he asked after coming up closer to Wolfram. “There are some buns and pancakes my mother left for us for breakfast. If you want something more filling, we could heat up some rice and chicken or pilaf or just go out to eat somewhere…”

Wolfram shook his head in denial. “No, I’m not hungry.”

“Two days without food and you are telling me you are not hungry?” Yuuri sighed. He frowned when Wolfram was caught in a coughing fit. “I said not to go to sleep with your head wet,” he muttered. “Sit down,” he motioned at the mauve sofa.

“Where are your parents?” Wolfram asked while Yuuri was hustling in the kitchen.

“Dad is on holiday. I mean, he doesn’t need to go to work, so he and mom went to spend some time alone,” Yuuri explained while ransacking through the fridge. “Actually I’m very glad for them. It was long ago when they did something alone together.” Yuuri put the milk on the stove to boil.

“And your brother?” Wolfram asked, stifling a cough with his hand.

“He moved out to another place. Mom said she’d call him. So I expect he’ll show up soon. She said he had changed his mobile phone number, so I can’t really reach him…” Yuuri turned around to look at Wolfram through the partition separating the kitchen and the living-room. Wolfram was staring at the bookcase opposite him. He was still wearing the same clothes Yuuri had given to him to wear for the night, the wide washed-out T-shirt hanging loosely on his frame.

Yuuri didn’t think Wolfram pretty anymore. “Pretty” didn’t suit Wolfram. Wolfram was handsome. Even if more handsome than Yuuri had ever seen, Wolfram didn’t look like one of those hybrids where one couldn’t tell if it was a woman or a man and tried to guess by the voice. Wolfram’s features were quite sharp, distinguishing him as a male from the first sight: high cheekbones, small pointy nose, the big sparkling but serious eyes, those full lips pressed together in a line most of the time.

The previous night Yuuri went to sleep late. Kyota or not, hickeys or not, willing or not, Wolfram was his fiancé, and he’d be damned if gave up without a fight. He wasn’t all that sure yet, but he didn’t want to make a mistake and miss his chance. True, he had been hysterically laughing for half an hour after deciding that – he couldn’t believe he and Wolfram had almost traded places – and calling himself the biggest idiot in both worlds.

Wolfram started as Yuuri put a steaming mug in front of him. Yuuri sat down on the armchair that was next to the sofa. Wolfram looked at the mug with the white liquid churning in it. He could smell milk. He hated milk.

“What’s that?” he asked Yuuri.

“Hot milk with honey,” Yuuri leaned back into the armchair. “It will help your throat.”

“I don’t like milk.”

Yuuri sighed. “Well, then think of it as medicine and just drink it up.”

“I don’t like milk,” Wolfram repeated, leaning away from the table and the mug.

Yuuri felt himself getting annoyed. “Just drink it. You have no documents, nothing. What do you think we’ll do if you get seriously ill or something? How would I or my parents explain ourselves about you living with us?”

“It wasn’t my idea to come over here!” Wolfram sneered.

“Neither was it mine!” Yuuri snapped. “Stop acting childish!”

“It’s you who's childish! I’m not drinking this!” Wolfram glared at him, his defiant eyes burning into Yuuri’s.

“Wolfram!” Yuuri growled. “Quit it and drink!”

“Fuck off!”

Wolfram quieted when Yuuri’s eyes flashed. “Wolfram, you either drink it or…” Yuuri’s voice from a shout dropped to a threatening whisper.

Wolfram reached out for the mug. Inhaling deep and holding his breath he drank the mug in several big gulps. Wolfram held out the empty mug for Yuuri who had reached his hand out for it, as suddenly Wolfram felt it all coming up. He was just in time to run to the sink and the disgusting liquid poured into it.

“God, Wolfram, I didn’t think that…” Yuuri ran after Wolfram. He reached out for the blond.

“Don’t touch me!” Wolfram heaved out. “Don’t fucking touch me!” He shook Yuuri’s hand off.

“I’m sorry Wolfram. I’m very sorry. I thought you just…” He stumbled as Wolfram shoved him away. His left side hitting the corner of a cupboard painfully, he was once again reminded that Wolfram was stronger than him. It probably had something to do with Wolfram being a full-blooded Mazoku. 

Clutching his bruised side, Yuuri watched Wolfram rinse his mouth then cringed when the angry emerald eyes snapped to him. Wolfram didn’t say anything to him, just pushed past him and into the living-room. He turned around to glare at Yuuri who was following him.

“I also hate that thing you call orange juice, maybe try forcing it down too?” he sneered. He turned around but, before he could march out of the room, a hand caught him by his arm and he was spun around to face Yuuri. Wolfram wanted to push at Yuuri and snap again, but was stopped by the look on Yuuri’s face. Yuuri was about to…cry.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t… I thought you just… I’m very sorry, Wolfram,” Yuuri babbled. “I thought you were just being stubborn…difficult like usual,” Yuuri spilled while a stunned Wolfram was staring at him. “Had I known… I can’t believe you think…”

Yuuri flung himself to Wolfram, and Wolfram stumbled, being even more surprised when he felt something hot drop onto his shoulder.

“I can’t believe,” Yuuri sniffled, “that you think I did that on purpose… Wolfram, I…” Wolfram flinched as more scalding drops fell onto his shoulder. “To think that I’d want to…drown you… How can you possibly…? I just wanted what’s the best… Honey and milk…” he groaned desperately into Wolfram’s shoulder. “Wolfram…”

“Did you eat something old or something…?” Wolfram stared at Yuuri’s top of the head on his shoulder. He brushed over the dark hair. “You do know I don’t think that about you…” He sighed. “I know you didn’t want to drown me… I was just…angry. A lot of things happened…” He watched the black head, then Yuuri looked up at him. While watching those dark watery eyes search his face, it struck Wolfram that he had seen Yuuri cry only one or two times. It had never been because of him, though. Yuuri was really messed up it seemed.

“This is stupid,” Wolfram, sighed, pushing Yuuri away from him. “Your greatest majesty, would you mind bringing those buns your mother left for us?” He couldn’t help returning the smile that crossed Yuuri’s features.

Wolfram didn’t really want to eat, but when Yuuri seated him in the kitchen then ran to ransack through the cupboards then presented him with buns and then went off to make some tea, there was nothing he could do except eat. But after several nibbles on a bun he realized that he was really hungry, his appetite increasing with each bite taken. After finishing the second bun, he raised his eyes to see Yuuri’s black head popping in and out of sight while he was hustling with the teakettle then Yuuri turned to him. 

“Here, some juice for now,” Yuuri put a glass of apple juice in front of Wolfram. He sat down on the chair next to him. Wolfram could hear the microwave start humming; Yuuri was heating something.

“Thanks,” Wolfram nodded, taking the glass and gulping some of the juice down.

“And you said you were not hungry…” Yuuri drawled while looking at the only bun left on the plate.

Wolfram blushed. “Sorry. Do you want it?”

Yuuri chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, it’s okay, have it. I have already eaten my breakfast.” He was glad that except coughing Wolfram seemed to be okay. 

While Wolfram was finishing the last bun, Yuuri settled deep in thought. “When do you think they will send Murata here?” he asked after a minute.

Wolfram looked around for a napkin to wipe his fingers and lips clean. He nodded thankfully when Yuuri unhung a towel from a nearby hook and held out it for him.

“Considering that here the time is going faster than in Shin Makoku, it shouldn’t be long,” Wolfram said while wiping his fingers. “It’s hard to tell, though. The longest it would probably be is a week. It all depends on how they’d act – you fell into a ditch and were washed down by a stream. If they, I mean, Yozak and his friends, are clever enough and would accept the possibility of you getting sucked into this world, they’d send someone to the Blood Pledge Castle to inform them right away and send Murata over here to check. If they are not clever enough, they’ll be looking for you in that forest forever.”

Yuuri stared at Wolfram. “You seem to have given some thought to this…” he muttered finally.

Wolfram shook his head in denial. “Not really. But I’m a strategist, Yuuri, and it’s obvious.”

“Strategist…?” Yuuri wondered. “What do you mean?” He stood up and went to the kettle which had started whistling.

Wolfram gave Yuuri’s back a disbelieving look. “You are aware of the fact that one day I might become responsible for my county and its army, aren’t you? Gwendal says that if I weren’t that hot-headed, he’d make me his second-in-command... Though, I know he’s joking and that he’d only make me his office-boy.” Wolfram rolled his eyes. “I know I still need much practice…”

Yuuri blinked at him. “I couldn’t lead an army if my life depended on it,” he said finally. He continued pouring water into the mugs.

Wolfram nodded. “Yeah. It was quite…interesting when Farington attacked us, and you ordered us to stop killing them. I though they’d massacre us and then our people before you did anything... Thank gods, like Gwendal said, you yourself are a “one-man-army”,” Wolfram chuckled.

Yuuri didn’t really have anything to say to that. Wolfram was right, of course. Yuuri put two steaming mugs onto the table and leaned deep into the sofa. “And what about Kyota? You didn’t say anything about him…”

Wolfram frowned at the glass of apple juice he was finishing. “With Kyota it’s easy: he’ll get more men to search the ditch, and as soon as he and Yozak meet while combing for us, he’ll know I might have ended up with you and he’ll go to Blood Pledge Castle. If needed, he’ll personally dunk the Great Sage into that fountain and no one will stop him.” Wolfram chuckled as the image appeared in his head. He wasn’t that fond of Murata.

“He sounds to be a practical man…”

“Kyota is the lieutenant general of Delam army,” Wolfram patted Yuuri playfully on his head. “Although Delam is not that big of a county, it still requires quite some knowledge and skill to manage the soldiers. As a king, you should really know that.” He laughed at the look on Yuuri’s face. “Well, he isn’t that good with his sword, but there’s hardly anyone in Shin Makoku who can rival him in wielding his element and mind. Well, other than Gwendal or Gunter,” he shrugged. 

Wolfram took the steaming mug of hot tea in his hands and shook his head at Yuuri’s quite gob-smacked face. “You don’t really know what Kyota is capable of…” he shrugged, sighing. “You shouldn’t take Kyota or me as your contemporaries – Humans always make that mistake. We do look the same age, but there’s a difference after all. True, we mature slower but there are some nuances considering mental abilities… One can’t compare us to grown-ups either for we still mostly act on a whim and add hormones and mood-swings and stuff, like most teenagers are doomed to be, but…” Wolfram shrugged not finishing. He raised his mug to sip the tea.

“I wonder how old you’d be in Earth years…” Yuuri said after a minute of having sipped his tea. “If one can convert it at all… You somehow counted my age…”

Wolfram shrugged again. “Conrad was the one to do the counting – he said something about being sixteen on Earth equaling reaching maturity on Shin Makoku… Besides, you are half-Mazoku, you mature different than Humans or us, full-blooded Mazoku. I don’t think it’s precise and that it really matters.”

“Well, it doesn’t,” Yuuri shrugged too. “Hey, let’s go somewhere?” he changed the subject. “You’d look around. I know some nice cafés. Hey, we could go to see some movie!” He frowned. “Nah, you wouldn’t understand what’s said… Pity. But still… It’s no good staying in the house the entire time. And we need to buy you something for your throat. Right! You’ll need to take your temperature, too. ”

Wolfram sighed. If Yuuri went to buy something, he’d have to go together with him. Even if Yuuri would let him, he had no wish to stay in the house alone. The prince jerked, and his head shot up at the loud sound that rang through the rooms.

“Shh… Calm down.” Yuuri got up from his chair. “It’s only a doorbell. Must be Shori,” he said before going into the corridor.

Wolfram stood up to greet Shori when he entered the kitchen-living-room following Yuuri.

“Your Highness,” Shori answered the formal greeting, nodding. He sat down next to Wolfram. Shori looked at Yuuri. “Get me some tea, will you?” He motioned with his head at the kettle.

“Why don’t you get it yourself? It’s not like you are a guest or anything…” Yuuri muttered under his nose, walking to take the kettle and fill it up.

“I heard you two had it rough yesterday…?” Shori ignored his brother.

“Which part do you want to hear?” Yuuri interested. He turned the kettle on and came back to sit at the table. “I almost got struck by lightning, we fell off a damned slope, almost broke our necks then were washed out by a river, I almost died from a concussion, and Wolfram almost drowned. Did I forget anything?” he looked at Wolfram, snickering.

“Nope,” Wolfram shook his head, chuckling, but mentally adding several rows and spats between them Yuuri had left out.

“Mom said she had heard Wolfram shouting at you, and you had been slamming doors after that,” Shori remarked calmly. He noticed the both boys tense up. A defensive spark appeared in Yuuri’s eyes, and Shori knew right away that he wouldn’t manage to get anything out of his brother. Wolfram only lowered his eyes to the table. If his king didn’t speak, it was pointless to try to drag anything out of Wolfram.

“Listen, whatever mom said, it’s none of your business. We’ll solve it all between us,” Yuuri said.

Shori just shrugged at him. “Well, it doesn’t seem to me like your fiancé would try to cut you up… Where is Your sword, Your Highness, by the way?”

Wolfram’s eyes rose to Shori again. “The strap got caught somewhere while I was rolling off the slope and broke. Now, the sword is probably lying somewhere on the bottom of the ditch, buried in the mud,” Wolfram said. He put his empty mug on the table. He felt elated – there was one more person besides Yuuri that he could understand and talk with. Even if Shori’s questions weren’t that pleasant, he didn’t feel so stranded anymore.

“So what are your plans?” Shori looked at Yuuri.

“I think we’ll go out somewhere. I thought about taking him to Grimun Shopping Centre. He should like it there,” Yuuri said, standing up to get the whistling kettle. He looked at Wolfram, and Wolfram only nodded resignedly. 

Shori’s brow rose but he didn’t comment on anything. “Do you want me to go with you?”

Yuuri shook his head in denial. He started ransacking through the cupboards for mugs and tea. “Nah, we’ll be fine. I’ll call you if something happens. Oh, that reminds me…” He came back to the table with the kettle in his hand and reached out for his mobile phone lying farther on the table. “Mom said you’ve changed your number,” he looked at Shori expectantly.

Shori nodded and fished his phone out of his pocket. “Here,” he put the phone on the table after finding the number. “I still don’t remember it myself.”

Yuuri came back to finish pouring the mug then made the tea and put it in front of Shori. He took the phone and started entering the number then raised his head to Wolfram. “Go take a shower, meanwhile I’ll look for something for you to dress in.”

“He doesn’t look that well…” Shori drawled after Wolfram left the table and went into the bathroom. “And he’s coughing… Are you sure it’s a good idea to take him out?”

Yuuri gave Shori a guilty look. “I forced him to drink milk…”

Confused, Shori shook his head. “What do you mean “forced”?” He took his mug to carefully sip the hot tea.

Yuuri rubbed his forehead. “Exactly what I said… Honey and milk… I just... He didn’t want to drink, so I told him to stop acting up and drink it. And it just came right back up after he did. Gods,” Yuuri groaned, “it was horrible…”

“Jesus, Yuuri…” Shori’s dark eyes set on Yuuri, and Yuuri cringed at Shori’s disgusted look. “You know he has a weak stomach… You can’t force people eat or drink when they don’t want it… He’s not a child. If he said no, you…” He just ruffled through his hair not finishing. “Or is it a part of your cunning plan of how to get him hate you instead of…? I don’t think you really want to see what it’s like to have a person like Wolfram hate you…”

Yuuri shook his head quickly to deny it. “No, I really thought he was just being difficult… I just wanted what’s the best…”

“So now you want to repay him for that…” Shori said, reaching out to take the phone that Yuuri held out for him. He put it back into his jeans pocket.

Yuuri sighed, nodding. “We both need to relax, to simply… I hope he stops jumping at each sound in the street… He doesn’t like it here…”

“Don’t overdo with impressing him with our “civilization”. It might have the opposite effect,” Shori advised him. “Though, I think it already has…” Shori shrugged.

Yuuri nodded. He stood up. “Okay, I’ll go to look for some clothes for Wolfram to dress in. Have a snack or something,” he said before going to the hall.

Yuuri passed the bathroom where the sounds of spraying water were heard and climbed upstairs to his room. Wolfram had made the bed, the coverlet perfect, without a crease – one wouldn’t expect that from a guy used to the servants running after him in each step he took. There was no evidence left that Wolfram had slept in his room at all. Somehow that disappointed Yuuri.

Yuuri crossed the room and went to the wardrobe. He opened the door and started looking through the shelves. Soon several T-shirts and shirts, three pairs of jeans and two pairs of trousers were lying on the nearby chair, and Yuuri dug further for socks and underwear. After finding what he wanted, Yuuri went downstairs again. Wolfram was already out from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, bare feet tapping against the floor while he was looking for a comb or a brush.

“Here,” Yuuri held out a comb for him. With his other hand he put green slippers next to Wolfram’s feet. “Sorry for that, forgot completely…”

“Doesn’t matter, I don’t wear anything like that at home anyway…” Wolfram said after stepping into the slippers.

“The clothes are upstairs, in my room. I put them on the chair. Take anything you wish.” Yuuri’s eyes saw Wolfram’s back off when the blond started climbing upstairs, then Yuuri went to the kitchen-living-room where Shori was helping himself to rice and chicken that his mother left for Yuuri and Wolfram. Yuuri only sighed and sat up opposite Shori.

“There’s some sauce for that in the fridge…” Yuuri said after giving Shori’s plate a look. He leaned his head on his palm. “I’m using your room. I hope you don’t mind…” he said.

Shori’s brow rose at his brother. “Now I know why Wolfram is pissed…” he said after a pause.

Yuuri’s chin rose from his palm to frown at his brother. “Actually it was his idea… Does he really look pissed?” he asked then.

Shori blinked at his brother’s face where he could see several emotions mixing. Unbelievable… “And you are disappointed because…?”

Yuuri’s eyes widened. “I’m not disappointed!” He put his hands on the table, agitated. He bristled at the curious look Shori was giving him. “I’m…just…worried about the atmosphere…” 

“Yeah, and that’s why you are red like a tomato…” Shori remarked, stuffing the last of his rice and fried chicken into his mouth. “Whatever. As long as you two don’t try to kill each other, I don’t care.”

Yuuri snickered, “I can’t wait until you become the king of Earth… I can already imagine the negotiations and bargains with you… It would be either – “I don’t care”, or “No way”, and we’d grow gray before reaching any possible compromise…”

Shori shrugged. “But don’t you think it was a very wise strategic move to give that soul to you? Whatever disagreements we’d have, we’d never wage war against each other… No matter how cross the situation might be, we’d still have to find some solution besides that… Whoever decided to give that soul to you was an unbelievably wise man…”

“It was the original king, of course,” Yuuri said. “So you say that you were the one the current king of the Earth found first, and only then the original king of Shin Makoku set in motion to find his successor…? Hell, I thought it was the opposite…” He scratched his chin. 

“I’m amazed the original king guessed right…” Yuuri wondered. “Actually, everyone knows that brothers kill brothers to get to the throne… I wonder if he knew that our family is kinda…normal in that aspect. I mean the upbringing…” 

“He must have at least presumed, or otherwise would have risked having your throat slit by me…” Shori commented. Taking his dishes, he stood up and brought them to the sink. 

The silence settled while Shori was washing the dishes, and Yuuri, deep in thought, stared at his hands, wondering about the weird conversation he had just had with his brother.

Yuuri’s head rose at the sound of the door opening. Yuuri simply stared at Wolfram who entered the living-room. He had forgotten how good the blond looked in “normal” clothes…

“What?” Wolfram lowered his head to look at himself. “Did I put it on wrong or something?”

“Nope, everything is fine,” Shori chuckled, coming back to sit at the table. “The clothes look much better on His Highness than on Yuuri, so he’s jealous. Right, Yuuri?” He elbowed his brother to get him out of the trance.

Wolfram and Yuuri were almost the same build, Wolfram being a little narrower at the waist, and Yuuri wondered how his old blue jeans could look so good on another person. And the sleeveless red shirt…he should start wearing that again. Wolfram’s arms were toned with some muscle on them, as Yuuri was already ascertained of that fact many times. Wolfram was one of those people who looked delicate in clothing, but had much strength in reality.

Yuuri jerked in his chair as Shori kicked him in the shin underneath the table. Yuuri’s eyes shot up to the pair of confused emerald ones. A soft blush spread over Yuuri’s nose. Wolfram frowned at him then looked at himself once again.

“No, everything’s fine,” Yuuri coughed. “I just choked on something…”

From Yuuri’s left side, Shori gave his brother a searching look. He stood up. “Okay then. You two go to that shopping centre. Call me if need be,” he patted his phone in his pocket.

TBC


	15. Part 15

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 15

His loose dark blue hair flying in the wind, Kyota turned his head to one of his men who rode up to him. The man had just emerged from the forest.

“Sir!”

“Speak up,” Kyota nodded when the soldier saluted him.

“I’ve heard talk about some men searching for a dark-haired boy. Another rumor says that recently some dark-haired boy saved several men from the river. According to the rumors, the boy seemed to be able to manipulate several elements. Some say that the boy was His Majesty Himself,” the soldier spilled quickly.

“Anything about Wolfram von Bielefeld?” Kyota asked.

“No, sir. Nothing at all. No one has seen any fair-haired men around at all…”

“I want to meet those men who are looking for that dark-haired boy,” Kyota pushed the flying hair off his face and tugged the lock behind his right ear, revealing his contemplative blue gaze. “Bring them to me. If they resist – take more men and hunt them down.”

“Yes, sir!” the soldier saluted and rode off to fulfill the order.

A day later, in a tavern he was currently residing in, Kyota found himself staring at Yozak and another man he knew perfectly.

“Dismissed,” Kyota motioned with his head at the soldiers who had brought the two.

“Sir!” Kadira saluted his superior. It had been three years already that he and Armano served in Delam’s army.

“So it indeed was the king…” Kyota drawled, nodding. He greeted Yozak and Kadira, offering the empty chairs at his table. “I heard you were looking for His Majesty,” Kyota didn’t waste time, starting off with the most important. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Instead of Kadira, Yozak nodded. “His Majesty fell off a slope several miles away from here. Later the river washed off its bank and all the water rushed into it. We don’t know what happened, although there’s a fat chance that someone having His Majesty’s powers would drown…” Surprised, Yozak watched a funny look engulf Kyota’s face. “What?”

“I’m looking for Wolfram von Bielefeld,” Kyota leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Exactly the same has happened to him… I’ve sent a messenger to Blood Pledge Castle, but, of course, being busy here, you couldn’t have heard about that…”

Yozak shook his head. “No, I didn’t hear anything. I’m sorry, I know he is a man in your disposition, but I’ve sent Armano to inform Gwendal and others about His Majesty missing… The reinforcements should be here soon.”

Kyota waved that off dismissively; Armano and Kadira hadn’t been on duty anyway, besides, he was on friendly terms with Yozak – even if they hadn’t interacted much, the man had been constantly around while Kyota had been growing up at Blood Pledge Castle. Kyota scratched his chin then shrugged. “I don’t really think we need those reinforcements,” he said finally. “Kadira?” he turned to the silent man whose clear blue gaze met almost the same cerulean eyes.

“It is probably exactly as sir is presuming,” Kadira nodded. He had been around the younger man long enough to know that he had a mind to rival his own, and the two of them found it interesting to converse. “Together, we combed out the whole forest and its surroundings, and nobody had heard anything. And there are no bodies. It seems unbelievable, but the two might have met up somehow, and, thanks to Yozak, I’ve heard plenty of rumors about His Majesty being unable or able – depends on how one sees it - to control the transportation through the water… We might presume that they didn’t even need to meet – if the swirl were big enough, His Majesty would have taken half of the river with himself…”

Kyota nodded. He stood up. “Don’t know about you, guys, but I’m going to Blood Pledge Castle. Great Sage or not, but he’s gonna bring me to that damn Earth even if I need to drown him first,” he said before walking out of the door, the other two men following him shortly.

XXXXX

After taking his temperature, it appeared that Wolfram was completely fine. He just had a cough. After the blond said that his throat didn’t even hurt, Yuuri was completely assured, and they left the house.

The day was bright and sunny, and the area Yuuri lived in was calm and peaceful, but soon they turned onto a busier street.

Yuuri was becoming concerned when, even after fifteen minutes of walking on the sidewalk, Wolfram was still wide-eyed, didn’t stop looking around and jumping at every loud noise. Yuuri knew that if Wolfram wasn’t so prideful, he’d probably ask to come back. It didn’t seem to have been that good an idea to take Wolfram out after all…

It didn’t help at all that people were staring at Wolfram, almost everyone, female or male. Some even turned around after passing them to look at Wolfram’s back. Wolfram had looked at himself several times, but noticing that he was dressed like most of the teens on the street, brushed it off. Yuuri wasn’t really afraid that Wolfram might snap at some of the more niggling stares – Wolfram did have a tendency to lash out, but those were only lecherous stares without a personal and inviting taste to them that would just set Wolfram off, otherwise he was used to the stares, and, as far as Yuuri had noticed, Wolfram just ignored them – he didn’t find them personal.

As he had told Wolfram once – he was aware of Wolfram’s looks. One had to be blind not to see those big, unbelievably green eyes, blond hair, rosy lips and lithe body. Though, he didn’t really…notice all that during their daily routine – he got used to Wolfram’s looks. Sometimes, when there was a radical change, like this day, when Wolfram put a completely different thing on, he did notice and did appreciate it, though it was a bit of a different appreciation today.

“We’ll take a train from here,” Yuuri said and only then thought that it probably wasn’t the best idea either. He didn’t know if Wolfram would be able to handle that. Wolfram had been on a train earlier and it had been fine, but it seemed the blond had become even more sensitive since then.

Usually, Wolfram adapted to all kinds of situations, and it puzzled Yuuri, this Wolfram’s fluster. The opposite, Yuuri had expected that, as this was already the second time, Wolfram would have gotten used to Earth. But maybe that was it – the factor of surprise? –The previous time Wolfram knew and was prepared to the thought about going to Earth. This time it had just happened. Well, of course, the border of communication, added to the entire atmosphere too, but Wolfram had never been one to communicate with strangers eagerly... 

Yuuri let out a soft sigh. He just wanted for Wolfram to enjoy himself. He wanted to spend some quality time, to eat something, to buy Wolfram something. Deep down he was getting that embarrassed feeling that it all seemed like he was trying to court Wolfram, but it wasn’t exactly like that – he was testing waters. As he wasn’t all that sure about his feelings, he didn’t want to be too obvious, to rush and jump and regret it later. He simply wanted to please Wolfram without getting them both confused, but it didn’t seem possible. Yuuri knew he wasn’t playing fair – neither did he push Wolfram away, nor did he accept him until he was sure. But Yuuri himself was afraid – Kyota was way more determined, and was quickly gaining an advantage while Yuuri was just mincing matters and not moving anywhere.

With a stream of people they crossed the street and turned to the station.

When he touched Wolfram or Wolfram touched him, and his thoughts went further while he was trying to prepare himself and imagine what it would feel like if it was an intimate touch, a kiss or simply Wolfram’s hand riding up his ass or crotch, it still felt weird. After seeing the hickeys, he had pictured Wolfram and Kyota together several times, and it had interesting results – made him somewhat aroused and at the same time upset. Over what? –He wasn’t exactly sure. He either was jealous of Wolfram as a lover, or it was the feel of Kyota meddling with their friendship – he knew he would have much less attention from Wolfram if the two ended up together – Kyota would probably take Wolfram to Delam.

There was some attraction, true, but he was a teenager and he wasn’t that sure if those simply weren’t his hormones confusing the hell out of him. That might have been just a part of his moods; sometimes he felt like fucking anything that walked on two legs. Or maybe he really wanted Wolfram. But feelings was one thing, and the thought about actually kissing Wolfram or having sex with him made his eyes cross with weirdness of it all. And despite his dreams and fantasies, when he was confronted with that in real life, he didn’t feel confident at all. 

But then…in his room, while healing Wolfram’s bruises, he hadn’t felt that weirdness at all. It had felt pleasant to touch the blond, to feel that warm skin against his palm and those golden locks between his fingers, to think that the danger had passed and they were alive. Maybe…maybe he was just freaking out too much. Just thinking too much.

Wolfram’s emerald eyes concentrated on Yuuri’s back while that was buying tickets. Yuuri had left him sitting in the waiting-room while hundreds of people were flowing around him. Alone in the mass - now he knew what it meant exactly.

Wolfram was relieved when Yuuri came back to sit down next to him. Through the hum in the hall, he listened to Yuuri’s explanations as to where they would go and what they would do.

After ten minutes the train came and they took it. The first ten minutes Yuuri didn’t let his eyes leave Wolfram, but it didn’t seem that the blond was troubled. Though, several more minutes later, Wolfram, telling Yuuri that it would make him feel better, stood up and went to stand at the rail, directly under an air conditioner. As it seemed that Wolfram was really fine, Yuuri relaxed and turned his head to watch the quickly flowing scenery through the window.

After ten minutes, again, Yuuri cast an examining glance at Wolfram standing further, still holding onto the rail, and got disturbed by how wide the prince’s eyes were. Was Wolfram sick? But no, that wasn’t it – Wolfram wasn’t pale, rather the opposite - now, slowly, there was a bright color spreading over his nose and cheeks… Confused, Yuuri looked Wolfram over. There was a hand on Wolfram’s behind. Yuuri blinked, his own eyes coming out of proportions.

A hand on Wolfram’s ass!

Slowly, Yuuri’s head rose back from the hand to the elderly man whom the hand belonged to, but before Yuuri could react in any way, there was a row of swift movements. Yuuri’s breath held in his throat and he froze. 

A punch in the stomach, a knee in the face when the assaulter had doubled over, and, panting in rage, Wolfram stood over the man who had slumped to the floor, groaning, his hands clutching his bleeding nose.

“How dare you?!” Wolfram screamed, his fists balled tightly at his sides. “How dare you touch me with your filthy hands, you filthy Human?!” his darkened emerald eyes flashed in fury. “On your knees, you maggot!” Wolfram kicked the man in the stomach again. “To chop your hands off is not good enough!” He grabbed at his side where usually his sword hung. He growled in annoyance when his palm closed on an empty air. “I’ll sentence you to death! To dirty the king’s fiancsssss…” Wolfram stumbled a bit. “To dirty a prince! How dare you?! Who do you think you are?! -A useless grub! A monkey! Disgusting muck! Hideous toad!”

While Yuuri was thinking if the King of Shin Makoku's fiancé beating up a citizen of Earth could result in an inter-dimensional conflict, the people in the car were freaking out, and Wolfram was spouting more epithets.

“C’mon, Wolfram,” Yuuri finally walked over to the indignantly spluttering prince. “He’s half-conscious already. Besides, he can’t understand you, anyway. Wolfram, leave him,” Yuuri dragged an enraged Wolfram away. “You are scaring people. Wolfram, calm down! It’s an order!” Forcefully, Yuuri seated the blond onto the nearest free seat.

“It’s nothing,” Yuuri turned around to wave cheerfully at the people. “He just thought the man wanted to steal his wallet…” He turned away, ignoring the murmurs that started.

Wolfram’s gaze slid past Yuuri and to the man staggering to his feet. He gritted his teeth. “Are you going to let him get away with that?” he snarled. “How dare he?!”

“I think he has already gotten what he deserved,” Yuuri said, restraining Wolfram when he wanted to get up. “Here, see? – It’s his stop,” he motioned with his head at the man who was in a hurry to get off at the first stop. “Let him be.”

The rest of the way to their stop Wolfram spent fuming silently, Yuuri being glad that the man had enough sense to leave on the first stop, and that Wolfram’s rage had distracted the blond from the rocking train. There was always something good in the midst of bad… He had to somehow explain the rules of this world to Wolfram… -No chopping and no killing and as little beating as possible. But now was not the best time – Wolfram might just simply snap at him while the cause of his anger was not available. Despite he was the king, Wolfram’s temper was also king-sized.

When Yuuri thought about it now, he had never seen anyone that would ever touch the brothers or himself without permission. Though, it seemed that there was some exception for Gunter… Despite himself being an example of manners and the torch of learning, the man didn’t care about this part of etiquette it seemed. 

There was a nasty voice peeping in Yuuri’s head – it was malevolently sniggering and wondering about how Kyota had even been able to at least touch Wolfram without getting both his arms broken. Angrily, Yuuri squashed the voice down.

They arrived to their destination shortly and, together with the rest of the crowd maneuvered out of the station. Yuuri started leading Wolfram through the maze of streets. Wolfram seemed to have gotten better – anger and some physical exercise made him livelier, and Yuuri was glad when the spark of interest appeared in the blond’s eyes, and Wolfram started looking around. Ten minutes later, Yuuri was elated when Wolfram started asking questions about various things they saw on their way.

Grimun Shopping Centre wasn’t far from the train station, and after half an hour they were there. Yuuri had a thought about using public transport but then decided that it would be healthier if Wolfram simply walked. The two of them were used to crossing long distances on foot or on horseback, so that was not a problem.

Yuuri smiled at Wolfram’s back as the blond reclined his head to look at the huge and decorated building. Wolfram wasn’t able to understand the meaning of the bright letters above them, but the size and flashiness had attracted his eyes, just as the designing was supposed to do. Yuuri followed Wolfram when that entered the store. 

It was Sunday and there were plenty of people streaming in the store. Once inside, Wolfram stopped in the hall and looked around, his gaze flowing over a dozen of shop showcases. A bit lost, he turned to Yuuri who grinned and motioned for Wolfram to follow him. Yuuri wasn’t the one to love shopping, and after the first endless tours through the shops his mother took him to, he had always been avoiding to go together with her, but doing it with Wolfram had some inquisitive thrill, besides he had noticed earlier that the blond wasn’t too overenthusiastic about shopping either, so he was sure that they wouldn’t spend too much time in there. 

They started from the right side, visiting shops that would catch their interest. After fifteen minutes Wolfram stopped at one window to look at the fluffy and cute toys. When Wolfram lingered at the showcase longer and then turned into the store, Yuuri’s brow rose. He followed Wolfram who was looking around then settled on a shelf with small fuzzy toys. Kittens, doggies, piggies, birdies…plushy, crocheted and knitted…gray, white, black, varicolored. Yuuri watched Wolfram gaze at a small pink piggy with small blue eyes, delicate legs and a tiny snout that was the incarnation of cuteness itself.

“I didn’t know you liked those kinds of things…” Yuuri drawled while standing behind Wolfram’s back.

“It’s for Gwendal, moron,” Wolfram muttered. “I want to buy some souvenirs. I think he’d like it. Will you lend me some money? Do I take the toy and then pay or how does it work?” he asked after Yuuri nodded.

“Yeah, just take it and bring it over there, to the cashier,” Yuuri pointed at a woman at the desk, giving Wolfram several notes to pay. Though, after a minute he had to join Wolfram who didn’t understand what the cashier wanted.

“She asked if you wanted a bag,” Yuuri translated. “Yes, we want one,” Yuuri nodded at the cashier even before Wolfram could say anything.

With a bag in his hands and Yuuri at his side, Wolfram left the store. He wondered what he should buy for Gunter. Then decided that he would buy nothing - he still couldn’t forgive Gunter for that outfit he had presented Yuuri with on his birthday. Conrad…

“Do you want some ice-cream?” Yuuri asked when they approached a small shop. He reached into his pocket for some money to get himself vanilla one. He asked for two of them as Wolfram nodded. Holding their ice-cream they sat down on a nearby bench.

Yuuri watched Wolfram enjoy his ice-cream, his eyes closed, his tongue darting out lick the melting mass, teeth scrapping the cold surface. Yuuri had noticed earlier that Wolfram loved sweets. Yuuri grinned and shrugged when, after Yuuri stared at him for a long time, a questioning gaze appeared on Wolfram’s face.

“How is it that you hate milk but love ice-cream…?” Yuuri wondered. He leaned to his ice-cream to catch a white droplet that was trying to escape and make its way to Yuuri’s jeans.

Wolfram frowned at his ice-cream. Yuuri thought that he should have never asked that – maybe Wolfram didn’t know what ice-cream was made of. He was relieved when after several seconds Wolfram’s features relaxed, and Wolfram continued to enjoy his ice-cream.

“There’s a not a very pleasant story to that,” Wolfram said after some more time. “I had a nanny. I’m not sure how old I was then…five? …Six? I did use to drink milk at the time and quite liked it. But there was one time I refused to drink it for my breakfast.” Wolfram frowned at his ice-cream again. “Well, okay, I realize I was a spoiled and hardly bearable brat, but I hadn’t expected her to grab me by my hair and just force me to drink it…”

Yuuri’s brows furrowed, his face contorting in disgust, but then he flushed red in shame – he had done the same thing after all. “And what happened later?” he asked softly, his gaze fixed on Wolfram.

“Kyota has never had a decency to knock…” Wolfram smirked at his ice-cream. “He walked in on us – me spluttering and her yelling at me. A second later she was screaming for someone to put the fire in her hair out while Kyota was chasing her all over the castle,” he chuckled. “I remember running after them, wishing I too were able to summon the fire element… I remember that it pissed me off somewhat, not being able, that is…” he chuckled again, licking at his ice-cream. “Later, my mother fired her, but I still hate milk,” he finished.

Yuuri was silent for some time. “Wolfram, do you still love me?”

Startled, Wolfram’s gaze met Yuuri’s. He didn’t exactly understand why Yuuri had asked that so suddenly. Or maybe he knew – all he had recently been talking about was Kyota. But Yuuri himself asked him to tell.

Yuuri felt the silence stretch, the humming sea of people around him disappearing somewhere in the distance, behind his acknowledgement. He suddenly felt like everything would depend on Wolfram’s answer. And then he realized that it did, and it made his throat dry and his palms sweaty despite the coolness of ice-cream in one of them. And Wolfram was still silent, staring somewhere at his feet, his ice-cream forgotten. 

“And what does it matter?” Wolfram shrugged finally. But it was rather a statement than a question.

Yuuri stared at Wolfram who, not raising his eyes to Yuuri, continued eating his ice-cream. “What do you mean by “what does it matter”?” he grunted out.

“Yuuri, I’m going to marry Kyota. You don’t need to worry about it anymore,” Wolfram said calmly, finishing his ice-cream. He still hadn’t looked at Yuuri even once.

For some reason he had expected that. All signs had been showing that it was going there. “Say WHAT?!” he couldn’t help shouting. “And just when was THAT decided?!” Yuuri couldn’t help the surge of anger and disappointment that washed over his entire body. They just couldn’t have decided that without his knowledge!

“Just twenty minutes before I rolled off that damn slope,” Wolfram said, looking around for something to wipe his hands on.

Yuuri suppressed a discontented snarl. He hadn’t asked that. “You know, that was cheap, Wolfram. Cheap and stupid what you did! Plotting behind my back! Running off to Kyota as soon as I leave! Did you even think before doing that?!”

Wolfram stayed mute. Of course he hadn’t and of course he was at fault here, so he just kept silent. Even if it burned him, he decided to let Yuuri's ridiculous accusation about plotting pass. But Wolfram’s silence got on Yuuri’s nerves even more.

“What the hell were you doing, running off like that?! Do you know what commotion it would be if someone got wind of this?! Or maybe you do want that?! –Demonstrating yourself like this! Is this your goal?!” he snarled motioning at Wolfram’s neck where of course nothing was seen already.

The thin aggravated string in Wolfram’s chest snapped with a loud whiff. For the first time during Yuuri’s rant, Wolfram’s flashing with emerald eyes rose to meet the blazing dark ones. “Fuck off.”

Yuuri inhaled deeply in a shocked fury at the calm response. “And you say this to me after you…” he hissed, shaking in anger. “Watch your mouth!”

Wolfram’s eyes dilated. “Watch your fucking mouth yourself!” he yelled. “Watch what fucking nonsense you are spewing! If I wanted to compromise you or myself, I’d have fucked Kyota on the dinner table during your birthday party in front of all the guests, you damn fool! But no! -I had been running after you like an idiot for almost two years while you have constantly been making a fool out of me! And then you go off heck knows where, and I, almost insane with pain, go to the only friend who can understand and help me, and all I get from you are accusations! Okay, I made a mistake, and I’m sorry for that! But this is ridiculous, these accusations of yours!” He was already standing, Yuuri having also stood up as not to be at the lower position on the bench.

“Understand and help you?!” Yuuri spluttered in outrage. “That’s how you understand friendship?! –There were HICKEYS all over you! Don’t talk to me about friendship!” Yuuri snarled at Wolfram’s face.

Several more minutes later, there was a circle of people gathered around them. They didn’t understand the language the two were arguing in, but the atmosphere was charged enough to seem that the two would resort to force.

“Nothing happened between us, okay?!” Wolfram shouted back. “And besides how is it your fucking business with whom I sleep?! Last time I checked, you didn’t give a fuck!” The obvious resentfulness was heard in his loud voice.

“Nothing happened?!” Yuuri growled in fury. “Who do you think I am?! –An idiot?!” His aggravated scream was carried through the store: “Hickeys don’t appear from nowhere!” 

“You are a fucking wimp, this is what you are!” Wolfram yelled at the top of his lungs. 

“I’m not a wimp, you stupid asshole!” Yuuri waved his hands around frantically.

“Go fuck yourself!”

“Will you stop cursing already?!”

“Make me!”

Yuuri’s majutsu crackled around him as some of the last droplets fell into the already overflowing glass of his patience. “I’ll sooo make you!” he threatened.

“Just fucking touch me, and I’ll beat the shit out of you!” Wolfram yelled, grabbing at his side where his sword usually hung. Finding only air, an enraged growl tore out of his throat. He would have given anything to be able to wield his fire element on this piece of crap of a planet! “Damn wimp! So now you feel bold when I am not able to use my fire element! Is that why you have brought me to this stupid Earth?!”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I didn’t bring you here on my will?!” Yuuri roared, his powerful majutsu gathering all around him. He got a little confused when Wolfram quieted. But Wolfram wasn’t looking at him, instead he was looking at something behind his back, his gaze wild. 

“Yuuri, there’s water leaking all over the ceiling, and there’s ice-cream floating behind your back,” Wolfram informed him. “And now a bottle of lemonade is flying our way… Power down immediately.”

Baffled, Yuuri whipped his head around. Jars of vanilla, strawberry, mint and chocolate ice-cream tumbled to the floor right behind him while people were gaping. A loud thud of the lemonade bottle hitting the floor followed later. After a second they all - Yuuri, Wolfram and by-passers – turned to look in the direction of the water raining all upon the floor from the ceiling. How did it get up there anyway?!

“I think we need to get moving…” Yuuri muttered stepping away from the mess he had caused. He looked at the blond to find Wolfram watching him with a weird gaze. “What?”

“You have serious problems with controlling your power. You do realize that, don’t you?” Wolfram asked, grabbing his bag with his present for Gwendal from the bench. He sided to Yuuri, the two of them walking away quickly, further into the store. “Might it be part of the problem of the ability to control all four elements? Are you losing it?”

They rounded a corner and went into the first shop they saw, just to wait for the bedlam they had left behind to end. While the shop assistant was trying to talk an elderly lady to buy a necklace that looked too big and too cumbersome on her, they pretended to be immensely interested in the jewelry behind the glass showcases. 

Yuuri shrugged. “Don’t think so – it was only my water element after all. More likely it was simply being pissed off than anything… I don’t really think or am able to control my emotions then,” he muttered. “The same happened when we got sucked into that lake. –I got angry, lost the plot, and the next thing I knew there was a swirl and we were here.”

From the corner of his eye, Yuuri followed the security personnel and staff running the way he and Wolfram just came from. Yuuri stood in front of Wolfram while Wolfram ducked his distinctive blond head to the stall with the showcase in front of him. Yuuri felt bad for making so much fuss and damage but was also sure that he didn’t want anyone knowing that it was him who made the ice-cream fly… He would never see the end of this, then.

Wolfram got quickly tired of looking at the bracelet in front of him. He rubbed his forehead, annoyed and sighed, “So it seems first you need to learn to open the gates between the worlds, so then you’d probably be able to cancel it off or at least control it if something similar happens next time…”

“Probably,” Yuuri agreed nodding. “I’ll have Murata teach me. It wasn’t really possible when I wasn’t able to use my power without losing myself and letting the original king control my actions, but now it should work.”

“But it was at least safer…”

“Aren’t we done being cynical today?” Yuuri glared at him, the rage renewed – it was Wolfram’s fault anyway that because of his anger his water element was slipping out of control! “I bet Kyota would have enjoyed sex on the table in front of my guests!”

Wolfram stared at Yuuri in disbelief. He couldn’t believe Yuuri brought this up. It had been stupid of him to say that but Yuuri returning to that was just unbelievable. 

Yuuri continued to glare at Wolfram while the blond was just looking back at him silently.

“I’m not going to argue with you anymore,” Wolfram said finally. 

“And why is that?” Yuuri snarled. The thought that Wolfram ignoring him was even worse than arguing with him crossed Yuuri’s mind.

“There’s no point in that, after all,” Wolfram shrugged. “I don’t understand why we are arguing anyway - I’ve already apologized! If you don’t accept my apology, then there’s nothing I can do anyway.”

Yuuri bit his lip before he could say anything. Wolfram was right of course. But it was not the apology he wanted from Wolfram. He was just unbelievably frustrated because of Wolfram’s announcement.

“Fine, your apology is accepted, and we won’t return to that,” Yuuri muttered, forcing himself to calm down. “Let’s leave the store,” he said after a minute. Wolfram nodded, and they left the jeweler’s. 

In the hall, there was still some of the staff walking to and fro with brooms and buckets in their hands. They passed several stores until Yuuri saw something he liked.

“Hey, let’s check this one,” Yuuri tugged Wolfram into the perfume store. “I want to buy something for you too. Your birthday is after a month and I figured I should use the opportunity. I think you’d like some perfume. You always use some…”

Wolfram’s brow cocked at him. Instead of a smile, Yuuri was presented with a frown.

“You don’t like my cologne?” Wolfram’s voice was low and dangerous.

Yuuri frowned back at him. “Why do you always think the worst?”

“Recently I don’t even know what to think!”

“Don’t start again…” Yuuri growled. “I’m trying to be nice!”

Wolfram rubbed his hurting forehead. This was giving him a horrible headache. “I’m sorry. Thanks. Let’s just buy something and leave here.”

Yuuri nodded, and they started browsing through the various perfumes until Wolfram chose one bottle he particularly liked, and then they turned to one of the shopping centre exits.

TBC


	16. Part 16

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 16

Yozak knew that he should have kept Kyota from barging into the hall where a conference amongst Shin Makoku and most of its neighbors and counties was being held. But Yozak had seen the looks and heard the growls the blue-haired man had sent to every guard trying to prevent him from walking down the corridor. Some of the guards could still remember Kyota from when he was a kid, others, seeing Yozak and Kadira next to him, had decided to leave the energy and resolve charged man to do as he wished. Yozak didn’t want to incur Kyota’s displeasure either – Kyota had even worse temper tantrums than Wolfram and his memory lasted longer, besides, Kyota didn’t think twice before using his social status – the man could be a real bastard when he wanted to.

“Good day, ladies and gentlemen,” Kyota bowed after having barged unceremoniously through the door without even knocking. He cast his eyes over the tribunes, finding Gwendal quickly. “I humbly beg for your forgiveness because of my sudden visit…” Kyota groaned mentally when he saw his wide-eyed stepfather looking at him from the tribune. He was going to have a long lecture later… “But there’s an urgent need for Gwendal von Voltaire,” Kyota continued. “Sir, may I ask…?” This time he gave a quick bow directed at Gwendal and motioned with his hand for the door.

Having the frown of all frowns on his face, Gwendal left his tribune and followed Kyota outside.

“Docharo…” Gwendal hissed at Kyota as soon as he was out, “I see Gunter’s taught maxims about announcing your visits beforehand haven’t reached your ears yet…” His frown deepened even further. “So, what happened?” Gwendal suddenly changed his tone; however Kyota behaved, he was known as a serious man after all.

Kyota motioned with his head for Gwendal to recede farther from the door. After several seconds, Gwendal was standing opposite Kyota and listening to Kyota’s reasoning. Of course, two days ago, Gwendal had heard the news about His Majesty missing, and, on the same day, only two hours later, another messenger arrived and said that Wolfram von Bielefeld was also missing. Needless to say that they all had been shaken up and sent out search-parties to Delam, just as the second messenger, Armano, had requested. And now, Docharo himself and Kadira, whom Gwendal knew very well, were standing against him requesting to see the Great Sage. 

Gwendal looked at the door behind him then nodded. “Fine. You have my permission. I’ll send Gunter to you – I have to return to the meeting. We’ll talk in a few hours.” With that he went back into the hall. He excused himself to the gathered ones and went to Gunter’s tribune. 

“Go to Kyota, he’ll explain everything,” Gwendal said to Gunter. But before Gunter could go, he grabbed him by his sleeve again. “Just watch that the brat wouldn’t do anything too stupid,” he muttered into Gunter’s ear.

“I know, I know…” Gunter murmured back. 

It took only several minutes to explain things for Gunter, and Gunter was running down the corridor, Kyota, Yozak and Kadira following him closely.

Two guards stepped in their way when they wanted to enter Murata’s chambers. “The Great Sage is busy,” one of the guard’s shook his head.

Gunter frowned at the guards. Great Sage’s status was almost equal to that of the king’s – Gunter’s influence didn’t reach farther than the Great Sage let him. He shifted from one foot to another.

Kyota rubbed the bridge of his nose, amused – and Gunter called himself a diplomat… He pushed past Gunter to glower at the guards who retreated after the blue gaze had settled on them like a whip. “His Majesty is away, and I hope you two are informed very well that while His Majesty is away, the command is being overtaken by Gwendal von Voltaire. And it just happened that sir von Voltaire gave his permission to visit the Great Sage.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” The guards saluted, moving out of their way.

“Finally!” Kyota pushed the heavy doors open. He quickly passed the empty room and not finding Murata, turned into another. He stopped, his eyes wide, his cheeks flushing brilliant red.

Yozak was caught in a coughing fit after choking on his saliva. 

“I wish Armano were here…” Kadira muttered after taking a look at the king-sized bed where currently Murata and the three maids were taking up almost the whole space. “He’d have had a year of wet dreams after that…” he grinned at red-faced Murata and the squealing maids who were trying to grab what was the closest to them and cover their nakedness.

Kyota’s left eyelid twitched. The Great Sage was something – his evaluation of the man had doubled – to tame those maids was not an easy task and equaled suicide. Kyota eyed Murata who was pulling a sheet over himself. Well, the man had some modesty after all…

“Your Highness…” Kyota bowed quickly then straightened. “There’s one thing I wished to discuss with His Highness… But it would be wiser to wait until His Highness got rid of that…” With a smirk on his face he pointed at the tent in Murata’s covered lap. “I beg forgiveness for intruding…” he bowed once again and marched out of the room quickly, the squeals of the maids following his back.

XXXXX

Just as they left the shopping centre, Yuuri suddenly realized that he badly needed to use the bathroom. As Wolfram didn’t want to go, he tossed his denim jacket to Wolfram. 

“Wait here,” Yuuri said before going back into the centre.

Wolfram moved away from the stream of people and stood leaning on the utility pole. For some time he fidgeted with the bag he had Gwendal’s piggie and his perfume in then raised his head to look around him. He had seen such masses of people only during balls and when he took part in battles, which was not that common. The unending river flowed and ran, and branched farther, disgorging into other streets, the noise and clamor not ceasing for a second. Another river was on the road, speeding past, beeping, screeching. And the smell…the stench was muddling his senses.

Five minutes passed, only standing and doing nothing made the air appear cooler, and Wolfram flung Yuuri’s jacket on. He wondered how much time they had spent in the shopping centre. Very likely it was about two hours or maybe a bit more, it was way past noon – the sun was hardly seen in the evening sky. But Wolfram wasn’t all that sure what time it was - he didn’t dare predicting the time according to the sun – he had already noticed earlier that there were differences between his and Yuuri’s world.

The time was passing and there was no sign of Yuuri coming back yet. Wolfram huffed, shifting from one foot to another. After ten more minutes he got quite worried. He went back into the shopping centre after Yuuri. Looking for Yuuri, he walked to the very end of the corridor past the same bench and stores he had already seen then turned back to where he and Yuuri had split. Yuuri still wasn’t there.

Not far from panicking, Wolfram looked around. Where the hell was Yuuri?! Frantically, Wolfram’s eyes skimmed his surroundings once again. Yuuri couldn’t have… No, he really couldn’t have… Wolfram’s fingers fidgeted with the button of Yuuri’s jacket while the fragments of their last argument flew past his head. But Yuuri said… No, Yuuri…couldn’t have left him, could he…? Wolfram lowered his head to look at the jacket Yuuri had given him once again.

Yuuri had left him a jacket.

For a second Wolfram just stood there, his feet rooted into the ground at a sudden feel of fright. Why not? Yuuri had killed hundreds of men; he had made Yuuri angry, what would it mean to leave his subordinate here to teach him a lesson? 

His heart pounding in his chest and his throat dry, Wolfram looked at the streets and lessening amount of people there. He knew no language, could not read, could not understand, and it was getting dark.

Wolfram turned back to the sidewalk he knew Yuuri and he came from. Together with other people he crossed the street. He had already learned earlier that he was supposed to walk when there was green light.

Wolfram walked further for about twenty minutes, and the uneasiness only grew while he was trying to remember the places he was passing by and he was getting more and more confused – he had no idea where he was going. He stopped to think and to prevent himself from running forward in panic. He had to stay calm and focused or he’d never get back.

Ransui, Yuuri lived in Ransui. That was it. If he asked people, maybe someone would show him where to find that thing Yuuri had called “train”. Gathering his courage, Wolfram approached an elderly couple. The couple stared at him while he was repeating the name of the city and pointing in all directions, but understood what he wanted quickly and pointed the way. At least for once Wolfram was grateful for his blonde hair and green eyes.

It took him three hours to finally find the station, and it was already dark. Little by little, section after section, square after square he was finally there. Some people had looked at him as if he were mad, most of them helped, tried to explain something in different languages, but he couldn’t understand anything. Things moved a little forward when one man gave him the map of the city. The man showed him where they were and drew a line with a pen to where he should go. He had also taught him the word he needed: “station”. He was grateful really, only that it wasn’t all that easy. He couldn’t read the names of the streets and it all looked like some crazed jumble-mumble. Still, comparing the signs, showing the map to people, pointing his finger at the cross, which the man had put, and repeating “station”, he had managed.

Wolfram looked around in the station building. Yuuri had bought some pieces of paper. He had no money. But first he had to find the train. How was he supposed to do that?! The station was huge, he could hear the hum and noise the trains made coming and going, some woman was announcing something in a monotone voice all the time but he couldn’t make out anything. Yuuri had read something on the wall that was written with red changing signs and said something about schedule. He couldn’t read. The only thing he could do was to go to the woman who was sitting behind the glass taking and giving pieces of paper. So he stood in the queue. His turn came, and he pointed on the map and said “Ransui”. The woman nodded and held out her hand. She understood him but wanted the money. He didn’t have it.

Wolfram left the queue and roamed in the station for another hour. The hour hand on the clock in the station stood a bit past midnight, and he was falling into despair, not knowing what to do. He was saved by an elderly woman who had been waiting for her train to come and had seen how he had been thrashing about in the station. She approached Wolfram and asked something. Wolfram only shook his head, indicating that he didn’t understand her. Wolfram repeating “Ransui” and using signs, she had understood where Wolfram was going and what he needed. She bought him a ticket and asked some passer-by to show him to the platform the train was supposed to leave from.

At about two o’clock in the morning, riding through the tunnel of darkness, with several other people in the carriage, Wolfram wondered if he’d ever forget the humiliation he had experienced. Although, now he was more worried about getting back and was simply glad that here on Earth, the same as in Shin Makoku, were some good and helpful people.

After finally getting to Ransui and exiting the station, Wolfram realized that despite he was closer to his destination, he still had no idea where to go. He roamed about in the city, getting cold and completely miserable. There were some people but he was not that bold to ask them: people coming out from clubs and bars, several whores leaning on the walls.

Then Wolfram got an idea. He had noticed that Yuuri had left his mobile phone in his jacket. The previous time he had been on Earth he had seen Yuuri talk into it. And just today Yuuri entered his brother’s number into it… Yuuri had talked with his mother and Shori through this thing, but he…he had no idea how it worked. He supposed he could try but was afraid of damaging it. So he had to ask someone to call Shori. He had no idea how it would work, but it was the only thing he could do right now.

After several more minutes of walking, Wolfram noticed a teen standing at a bus stop. The guy was just standing and smoking. Wolfram walked over and took the phone out of his pocket. “Shori,” he said, pointing at the phone.

The guy looked at Wolfram, confused, and Wolfram repeated the name again. Inhaling the smoke deeply, the guy ran his eyes over Wolfram. The beautiful blonde didn’t look like a stray dog or up the pole, quite the opposite: the clothes were clean, in order and the emerald eyes looking at him were clear and intelligent. But it was also obvious that the blonde didn’t have any money with him.

“Poor thing, don’t know the language?” the guy muttered, flicking the cigarette bud away. He reached out for the phone.

Wolfram just blinked at the guy’s back when that ran off with his phone. One, two, three. Three seconds passed until the blond came over his shock and started running after the guy. 

“Hey, give the phone back, you bastard!” Wolfram shouted chasing the thief down the street. They rounded the corner, Wolfram gaining speed and closing to the guy. “You’re gonna regret it badly when I catch you!” Wolfram yelled in fury. It was not enough that he got groped and his fucked up in the head king had decided to teach him a lesson and that half of the night he had been roaming heck knows where, no…in addition, this stupid chicken shit decided to steal his phone! 

“You are dead! You are sooo fucking dead!” Wolfram screamed, now being hot on the thief’s heels. Wolfram was glad he had stuffed Gwendal’s piggie and his perfume into the pockets and had thrown the bag away long ago which now let him run faster. Besides, Humans were known for lesser physical abilities than Mazoku – he was going to catch the bastard in any case.

Wolfram faltered a bit as after rounding one more corner, the guy snuck into a door. There were lights on in the dwelling. As almost everywhere in the streets they were off, Wolfram found it suspicious. And soon he realized why – he had followed the guy right to his buddies who now were spilling outside from the shabby dwelling. Some of them looked like they had been partying – drunkenly mumbling something which sounded like threats. Wolfram counted seven of them. Nice. He growled deep in his throat. If they thought he’d get scared and run away, they had to think twice – he was not in the mood for games. There was no way he would let the lowlifes win.

The anger and rage making Wolfram grit his teeth, the blond attacked first. His fist caught the nearest attacker’s nose, and a sickening crack was heard. The pent up frustration and wrong spilling out of Wolfram’s every pore, the blond turned away from the wincing and dazed man on the asphalt. Someone’s fist caught Wolfram on his chin, sending him back but the next second he was up on his feet again, kicking his attacker in the gut and deflecting someone’s fist from his right. From the corner of his eye he noticed the guy who took Yuuri’s phone bringing a baseball bat. 

Jumping to the side to avoid a kick in his side, Wolfram launched himself onto the thief. Pretending he was attacking head-on, the last second, as the guy tried to take his head off with the bat, Wolfram dropped to the ground. The bat sliding over empty air where he had just been a second ago, he swept the guy off his feet, knocked him off by hitting the base of his neck when he smashed face-first into the asphalt, and the baseball bat was his. His palms stinging with bruises from rolling on the asphalt, clenching the bat in his hands, Wolfram grinned unpleasantly at the rest of the teens.

XXXXX

His steps nearing to run in his anxiety, Shori rounded the corner. He breathed a relieved sigh as he saw Wolfram standing at the drug store. Wolfram saw him too and started walking over. Under the watery light of post lamps Shori saw Wolfram’s bruised lip and the blackening eye. 

“What happened?!” Shori gasped, his eyes skimming over the disheveled blonde.

Wolfram approached Shori and stopped in front of him. 

“Some ruffians… Wanted to steal Yuuri’s phone…” Wolfram explained, patting his jeans pocket. Flinching, he touched his split lip with the tips of his fingers. “No need to worry - they look worse than I do.”

Shori didn’t even know what to say. He had been more than surprised to get a call from the blonde. And now he couldn’t understand why Wolfram was here in the middle of the night. Wolfram hadn’t explained much, just said that he needed help.

Shori reached his hand towards Wolfram. “C’mon,” he motioned with his head in the direction he had left his car, “let’s go.” His eyes widened when Wolfram lowered himself to one knee against him.

“Your Highness,” Wolfram started, “may I ask for Your support and guidance while on Earth?”

Shori frowned, confused. “But you are Yuuri’s subordinate...” He got a very uneasy feeling when Wolfram didn’t answer anything to that, just continued looking at his boots. “Get up, Wolfram, and explain what happened,” Shori said, motioning for Wolfram to follow him.

Shori knew that Wolfram rather felt intimidated by cars but this time the blonde was placidly sitting in the front seat next to him, not a muscle moving on his face and, simply staring forward through the windscreen and into the night. 

“So what happened?” Shori asked. “Did you get lost?”

Wolfram shook his head in denial and continued to gaze through the window, his features unreadable.

“You two got into a squabble and you ran off?” Shori frowned as Wolfram didn’t react to him. But in spite of Wolfram’s stubborn silence he could tell that it wasn’t it. “Yuuri ran off?!” Shori’s dark eyes snapped from the road to Wolfram in disbelief. No, Yuuri wasn’t that impulsive and stupid, was he…?

“The king decided to punish me. No big deal,” Wolfram said passively.

Shori’s foot hit the brakes convulsively and the car jolted and sputtered and stopped in the middle of a crossing. Beeping followed. Cursing softly under his breath, Shori started the car again and thanked all the gods that it was an early morning and there were almost no cars. He shook his head thinking that he had misunderstood Wolfram.

“Yuuri didn’t leave you out alone to walk home, did he..?”

Wolfram nodded. “His Majesty…” Then he shrugged. “It took me awhile to get back from that shopping centre...”

Shori took a deep breath. Yuuri had left Wolfram in a different city – was Yuuri completely nuts?! “Can you tell me what happened?” He frowned even more when Wolfram stayed silent. What did Wolfram do to enrage Yuuri that much that that would leave Wolfram alone in the middle of the night to come back home by himself? But whatever it was, Yuuri’s act was appalling. As Wolfram had no one else to turn to, he was asking him for support, and the blonde was going to get it.

Shori didn’t ask anything more while they were driving to his flat. With the help of the King of the Earth, Shori had bought a flat where he was currently staying. It was a flat in a small house in a calm neighborhood where everybody knew each other. Today he also brought his girlfriend to show it to her.

Sitting in a complete silence they had finally approached the street where he lived. Shori parked the car and they took an elevator to the second floor. As soon as they entered the flat, Shori closed the door to the bedroom as not to wake his girlfriend up.

Shori considered calling Yuuri and telling that Wolfram was fine and with him, but then decided not to bother. If Yuuri was that inconsiderate as to leave Wolfram alone in the world he knew only the basics about, let him be all in a fluster and flouncing about. Because Shori was sure that by this time Yuuri had regained his senses and was immensely regretting what he had done.

Shori led Wolfram into the living-room. 

“You okay?” Shori asked. Wolfram was worrying him – the blonde’s steps were shaky, he rather seemed to sleepwalk.

Wolfram gave an affirmative nod. Shori seated Wolfram on the couch where the blonde simply slumped with his shoulders hunched. Shori pushed the chair over and thought about sitting down in front of Wolfram, but the prince was silently sitting on the couch, his eyes lowered to his lap, his lips blue, all shivering, so Shori decided to make some hot tea.

Shori left Wolfram in the living-room and went into the kitchen to put the teakettle on. He came back to find that Wolfram started trembling even more, his teeth clattering. But it all seemed to be closer to a nervous thing, and Shori doubted that hot tea could fix that. Feeling safe, Wolfram had finally let himself relax and the experience had sunk in. Wolfram was suffering from the aftershock. Shori could only imagine what it was not to understand anyone, not to be able to read anything when one was lost and had to get to another city not knowing the way. And he had also gotten into a fight with some young vandals. It was a miracle Wolfram was here.

Shori was angry, no pissed. He was so mad with Yuuri for doing this to Wolfram that…that…he didn’t know what he was going to do, but it really wasn’t going to be anything pleasant.

Shori busied himself looking for linen and covers then heard the kettle whistle and went back into the kitchen to make tea. He made one for Wolfram and one for himself and came back to the living-room.

Wolfram gripped the hot mug in his freezing hands to get some warmth into his skin, but then winced at the same time as the mug came in contact with his raw bruised palms. Concerned, Shori took one Wolfram’s palm in his hand.

“I’ll bring some disinfectants,” he said after inspecting it. He didn’t listen to Wolfram telling him that he didn’t need anything and that it was fine and soon the blonde had his palms tended.

Shori didn’t try to find out what Yuuri and Wolfram had fallen out about. He had decided to give Wolfram some peace.

XXXXX

Wolfram stumbled into the kitchen and froze as two sets of eyes set on him. They skimmed over his wide T-shirt that he had gotten from Shori and then set to his slippers. Finally Shori’s girlfriend lowered her eyes back to Shori who was sitting opposite her at the table. 

“And he’s pretty indeed,” the girl said.

As he didn’t understand a thing, Wolfram just nodded at her for greeting and decided to just ignore her further; even if she was the lover of the future king of Earth, he wasn’t all that sure about her status. Instead he looked at Shori. Shori got up from his seat, motioning with his head for Wolfram to take his place. He started hustling in the kitchen.

“I’m thinking about calling Yuuri,” Shori said while making sandwiches for Wolfram.

Wolfram shrugged. “If he were interested, he’d have called long ago – I have his phone after all. You don’t need to worry, Your Highness, – there was a good reason for this,” he added.

Silently, Shori finished cutting the summer sausage and started putting the small cuts on the four pieces of bread. Wolfram was telling him not to worry, but at the same time Wolfram was Yuuri’s subordinate who was asking for refuge…how was he not to worry? This was not only about some spats, it smelled of politics… But he didn’t care what Wolfram was saying about good reasons, Yuuri was a bastard to do that.

Shori put the plate of sandwiches in front of Wolfram and went to make some tea. He wondered what was going to happen now.

“I just want to go back home,” Wolfram said, taking one of the sandwiches.

“When is Murata going to notice that you two are missing?” Shori asked while stirring Wolfram’s tea to melt the sugar. He put the mug next to Wolfram’s plate with sandwiches and stood next to Wolfram, leaning on the nearby cabinet.

Wolfram shook his head. “We both are supposed to be still roaming around the country, and nobody would miss us on their own. It would take more than a week for Kyota to get to Blood Pledge Castle and break down the news then make the arrangements. So one week or a bit more,” Wolfram shrugged.

“Kyota?” Shori interested.

“I was together with him when I rolled off the slope. He’s a friend of mine,” Wolfram explained, reaching for another sandwich.

“Docharo, it seems?” Shori waved at his girlfriend for good-bye when she said she was going home.

Surprised, Wolfram raised his head to look at Shori. “You know him?”

“I talked to him after Yuuri’s birthday party.” He walked over to the table and sat down opposite the prince. He chose not to reveal that he had been skulking in Wolfram’s room and had overheard their whole conversation as well as the proposing slap. “We had a long talk about Your Highness and Yuuri…” Shori laughed when Wolfram actually squeaked, choking on his sandwich, his eyes turning round. Shori’s features turned serious then. “Kyota has left quite an impression on me. He’s a very serious and determined man, isn’t he? Despite he respects Yuuri for his power and his input in reviving Shin Makoku and uniting the neighbors, he will do everything to make you his, won’t he?”

Wolfram fidgeted with his sandwich. He sighed finally. “Actually as soon as Yuuri calls our engagement off, I’m marrying Kyota. We agreed on that just before I came to Earth.”

Shori’s eyes searched Wolfram’s face for answers, but Wolfram was much harder to read than his brother. “Does Yuuri know?”

Wolfram nodded. “Yeah, I just told him yesterday. He was pissed a little that I’ve arranged it without him, but I didn't think he’d mind.”

Shori shook his head, brushing his palm over his bursting forehead, thinking that he might know the reason Yuuri had left Wolfram at the shop. Silly chit. Both of them. And it didn’t help that Yuuri had screwed up once again – now Yuuri had a very formidable opponent, and if Wolfram had agreed to marry him, there was no way Kyota would step back. 

XXXXX

It was way past midday when Shori’s mobile phone rang. It was Yuuri. Shori leaned on the wall in the kitchen, Wolfram sitting at the table near him, his brooding gaze cast out the window.

Shori listened to Yuuri’s agitated voice while his little brother was relating the whole story. Yuuri was panicking.

Shori glared hard at the cupboard beside him, considering lying to Yuuri and making him worry even more, but then decided not to. “He’s here,” he said into the phone. “With me.” He listened to excited Yuuri’s voice then shook his head. “I don’t think that coming over here is a good idea,” he said, but as expected, Yuuri didn’t listen to him. 

Shori switched the phone off. “He said he’d be here in half an hour,” he said to Wolfram. “But as he had never been here, it might be tricky for him to find the place…”

Wolfram only shrugged.

A bit less than an hour later, Yuuri was at the door, and Shori let him in.

“Hey,” Yuuri nodded, taking his sneakers off quickly. “Is he okay? When did you find him? Why the hell didn’t you call home?” Yuuri stepped into the slippers that stood at the door. “I left my stupid phone in my jacket with Wolfram and just couldn’t remember the damn phone number! And then it took me heck knows how much time until I’ve finally contacted our parents to get my own number, and then appeared that my phone was dead, and then I had to get your number!” Yuuri faltered as after waiting for the answers he took in Shori’s facial expression. His big brother was angry, no, pissed.

“You know, Yuuri, you should talk, ne?” Shori snarled at Yuuri’s questioning look. Then his patience snapped at Yuuri’s confused looks, “You leave him out alone in another city in the middle of the night to get his ass back here and then you ask me why I didn’t call you?!” He threw his arms angry. 

“Yuuri, do you have at least an ounce of brains?! He could have gotten lost, and we might have never found him! He could have been killed by this time already! It was just sheer luck those freakin’ kids didn’t have a gun with them, and he only got several bruises! It’s a real miracle he had managed to get here on his own! He knows no language, he can’t read, he has no money nor knows the equivalent to it! He’s still in shock, Yuuri! Are you that sick to get pleasure from making him risk his life?! What the hell is wrong with you, Yuuri?!” he shouted at his brother’s face.

By the time Shori had finished, Yuuri had shrunk back to the door he had recently entered through. A disbelieving look was locked on Yuuri’s face.

“You can’t be serious…” Yuuri muttered, shaking his head. “You think I purposely left him? Shori, you seriously think that I…” Then Yuuri’s shock turned into rage. “I went to look for a bathroom and the fucking elevator got stuck! The fucking elevator, Shori! I got stuck for more than one hour! I had accidentally flooded the damn centre earlier and the power went out! What the hell, Shori?! We did get into a spat, that’s true, but… How can you think that I’m that irresponsible?!” Yuuri continued his tirade. “Why the hell do you think I left him?! Do you really think I’d do that?! Where did you get that idea at all?!”

Shori watched Yuuri’s face for some time. Yuuri was telling the truth, and Yuuri was hurt. He knew his brother well enough to see that. Confused, Shori brushed his hands over his hair, his fingers entangling in soft locks. “Wolfram told me.” Looking at Yuuri from behind his hands, Shori nodded at Yuuri’s openmouthed face. “Yuuri, he really believes you'd left him there to punish him,” Shori said. “You’d better…something is really fucked up.” 

TBC


	17. Part 17

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 17

Yuuri couldn’t comprehend how Wolfram could think that he had purposely left him at that centre. He had been running around that shopping centre and its surroundings, even the station until midnight, having raised all the damn security personnel and the police. He had tried to remember his stupid phone number and when that failed, he tried to contact his parents but nobody in the hotel they were at answered, then, almost mad with worry, he went back to Ransui and searched the train station there, then went back home and continued going crazy there. And only today, just an hour ago, he had finally managed to get a hold of his parents and get Shori’s phone number. And Wolfram thought that he had left him purposely?!

Not stalling any further, Yuuri pushed past Shori and went into the living room. Noticing him enter, Wolfram stood up from the sofa he had been sitting on.

“Your Majesty,” he bowed.

Yuuri glared at him. “Quit with that. Sit down.” He frowned even more when Wolfram seemed in a hurry to sit down as if… 

Yuuri approached Wolfram and stood opposite him. “Shori said you thought that I had purposely left you…” Yuuri waited for confirmation or denial but Wolfram didn’t say anything, and after searching the prince’s face Yuuri realized that it was exactly as Shori had said. Disappointment and anger welled up inside him and then anger won.

“For fuck’s sake, Wolfram!” Yuuri hissed down at Wolfram. “I got stuck in the elevator! We had to wait for more than one hour to get out of it! And you immediately assume that I got rid of you! How can you even think that?! How can you think I’d do that to you?! Wolfram?!” he hissed at the silent boy again. “Wolfram, look at me!”

Wolfram raised his head. “I’m sorry,” he offered a tentative smile to Yuuri. 

Yuuri was about to snap again as… The smile puzzled Yuuri. There was nothing genuine in it. He had expected Wolfram to be relieved, rejoiced or at least feel foolish for thinking that about him, but there was none of this. Wolfram didn’t believe him. He didn’t know why, but Wolfram thought that he was lying! That infuriated Yuuri even more. 

Ready to shake the life out of his fiancé, Yuuri grabbed Wolfram by his shoulders. He suddenly felt numb when Wolfram started and shielded his face with his arms. Slowly, Yuuri removed his hands off Wolfram’s shoulders. His heart beating madly in his throat, he sat down on the same sofa next to Wolfram who lowered his hands back to his lap. Wolfram was afraid of him. Wolfram had thought he was going to… He had never ever hit Wolfram. Except that engagement slap. He had never ever hit Wolfram…

“Wolfram?” Yuuri’s voice, hoarse with tears, breached the silence. “What the hell has happened to…us?” He rubbed his forehead fervently when Wolfram kept silent.

“There is no “us”,” Wolfram said after a long pause. 

“Ah,” Yuuri’s shoulders slumped, “concerning that… I wanted to speak to you.”

“There’s no need; I’ll sign all the documents you wish calling off the engagement. Kyota and I…”

Yuuri gritted his teeth. “No, that’s exactly why I wanted to speak with you,” he shook his head. “I don’t want to call off the engagement. Actually I’m thinking about really marrying you.”

Instead of expected joy, there was fury on Wolfram’s face. The next second Yuuri thought that his head got knocked off his shoulders. Wolfram’s enraged emerald eyes flashed at Yuuri’s sprawled form on the ground, and then the blond was gone.

Shori’s head shot up at the sound of running steps then the door was slammed so hard that the glasses and windows rattled. He quickly walked over to the living-room to find Yuuri cradling his jaw, a trickle of blood running down his split lip.

Shori groaned, “What now? What did you do now?” He squatted next to his still dazed brother. “And where the hell did he run off to?”

“Get him back,” Yuuri muttered, standing up and wincing as his head started pounding; Wolfram’s right hook was incredibly heavy. “He might get lost again.”

Shori stood up, sighing. He quickly changed his slippers into sneakers and went to look for Wolfram. After roaming around for about fifteen minutes he finally spotted Wolfram several houses away, sitting on his neighbor’s front lawn. Wolfram was hugging his knees, his chin resting on them.

Shori walked over. “What happened this time?” he sighed. He decided to just leave out all the formalities. He sank down next to Wolfram when the blonde kept silent. “Well, I do understand that you are angry because of that happening, but he said that it had just been a misunderstanding. I don’t think that you should have punched him…”

“I’ll kill him next time!” Wolfram snapped, his eyes flashing with emerald fury. “To marry…” he snickered. “Can you believe he is mocking me?!”

Shori rubbed the bridge of his nose then pushed his glasses up with his index finger. “I don’t think I follow you, Wolfram…”

“What’s there not to follow?!” Wolfram snarled in his agitation. “He said he wanted to marry me! The bastard!”

Shori stared at Wolfram for some time then rubbed the bridge of his nose again. “He said that?” he asked to be sure. “I think he meant that, Wolfram,” Shori said after a pause after Wolfram had nodded. Well, he wasn’t that surprised – he did get that impression yesterday, but to marry – wasn’t Yuuri rushing too much? And if Yuuri really had said that, Yuuri really was an idiot – he should have waited until Wolfram got over the first shock. Silly chit.

Shori shrunk back as Wolfram’s burning eyes set on him. He knew now what Yuuri had meant by “fiery” - Wolfram was ready to strike him, too.

Shori waved his hands about, trying to say something about the misunderstanding as Yuuri appeared from behind the corner. Shori exhaled, relieved, deciding to leave Yuuri to explain the whole thing to his own fiancé, especially having in mind that he wanted to hear if what Wolfram said was true.

Yuuri, still rubbing his jaw, approached them. Wolfram glared at him then turned his back to Yuuri demonstratively, stood up and wanted to walk away.

“Wolfram, wait,” Yuuri groaned, grabbing the blond by his arm. “I was serious. I’m not trying to make a fool of you. I’m completely serious. And I’m sorry it took me that long…” he said to Wolfram’s back. “I’m really sorry. Sit down now, please, okay?” he tugged Wolfram back. “We need to talk, badly.”

Wolfram stayed up but after several seconds he turned around. Yuuri saw that Wolfram wasn’t that sure what he was talking about. He tugged Wolfram closer to himself.

“I don’t want to break the engagement, Wolfram. It’s fine as it is. I think I’m really in love with you.” He embraced Wolfram firmly as something akin to tears passed over Wolfram’s face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that earlier, as soon as we came to Earth. I’m really a wimp, aren’t I…?” he pressed his cheek to Wolfram’s. Through his own deafening heartbeat Yuuri could feel that of Wolfram’s, the mad beat shaking the blond’s whole frame against his. His hold on Wolfram became even firmer, his arms rumpling and creasing the shirt on the prince’s back. Wolfram was so…warm. And…Jesus, what an idiot he had been…

Yuuri got a bit anxious as the silence lasted a little too long. He thought that Wolfram might have felt faint, but it didn’t actually seem like it – the blond stood on his own legs, his arms still awkwardly bent at the elbows and pressed to Yuuri’s chest just the same as Yuuri had pressed Wolfram to himself.

“Wolfram? Say something...?” Yuuri pushed the prince a little away from him to see the blond’s face. What he saw there, worried him greatly. “Wolfram…” Yuuri let go off Wolfram and stepped away. He tried to smile tentatively. “No, seriously, Wolfram…”

“I’ll fucking kill you!” the blond roared. “A whole year! No, two years! This whole time you’ve been driving me insane! You…you…wimp!” Wolfram shrieked at Yuuri’s face, reaching at his side where usually his sword hung. After discovering that there was no sword, he yelled, “You Wimp! I hate you! Who the fuck wants to marry you, anyway?!” he tried to draw his majutsu but it also failed him. “You idiot! Playing with me the whole time! Who the fuck do you think you are?! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you so much!” he screamed, balling his fists. “To marry you?! Go fuck yourself, you bastard!” Wolfram’s fist rose.

From the place he had been sitting and watching the whole ordeal, Shori jumped to restrain Wolfram. He held Wolfram from behind but was quite surprised to discover that Wolfram was much stronger than he looked and almost threw him off, at the last second he managed to adjust his hold on the prince.

“Wolfram, Wolfram, calm down,” Shori increased his grip on the prince’s arms as that didn’t cease his struggling. “Shhh… Wolfram, it’s okay, he…”

“It’s not O-KA-YYY!” Wolfram screamed, furious, trying to get Shori to let go of him. “Yuuri, you…wimp! Let go of me, you…you…wimp’s brother! Let go!” he yelled, thrashing in Shori’s hold.

Shori looked at his little brother who was now ten meters away from Wolfram, watching his fiancé cautiously. “Couldn’t you just have waited until he dealt with yesterday’s shock and THEN finished him off with your damn love declarations?!” Shori hissed at his brother. “Don’t you ever think, Yuuri?!”

Distressed, Yuuri just gazed back at the two scuffling men. He hadn’t thought of that, honestly. He just thought that he’d tell Wolfram that he loved him and that everything would just go swift and smooth, Wolfram throwing himself on his neck. He hadn’t expected Wolfram to freak out as he had. It was all his fault.

Yuuri approached the two. From behind Wolfram, Shori was giving Yuuri a quite worried look. Yuuri ignored it. Now he was just in front of the hissing Wolfram, and simply grabbed the blond in a fierce hug. With his head, he indicated Shori to let go of Wolfram.

“Okay, it’s okay. You can beat me up later if you wish. I’m sorry, Wolfram. I’m such a shitty fiancé…” Yuuri’s hold on Wolfram was not wavering even as the blonde tried to hit him with his fists on his sides and stomach. Yuuri’s arms slid up Wolfram’s back soothingly, and his right hand buried in Wolfram’s soft hair to press Wolfram’s head to his shoulder. “I’m so very sorry, Wolfram, for making you go through all this…” 

Yuuri could feel Wolfram trembling against him, his struggling lessening, until there was none, Wolfram leaning completely into him, burying his face in his neck, his ragged breathing slowly calming down until there were only soft puffs against his skin.

“I’m sorry for doing this to you…” Yuuri said softly again. It occurred to him that he was doing an unbelievable amount of apologizing lately. Then it meant that there was something wrong with his behavior, it seemed. He brushed his hand over Wolfram’s hair. “But it’s okay now. Everything will be fine. Nothing to worry about,” he muttered into Wolfram’s ear soothingly. He tugged at the blond’s hair gently to raise Wolfram’s head from his shoulder. He became a little nervous again as the sea of green engulfed him, but this time it was different kind of nervousness. He felt himself break into a sweat.

Trembling with nervousness, Yuuri closed his eyes. Tentatively, he pressed his lips to Wolfram’s. Past this, he wasn’t sure what to do and was unbelievably relieved when Wolfram took over the initiative, the blond’s full lips moving against his, nibbling softly. 

Okay, that wasn’t bad, Yuuri decided. It didn’t feel bad, and if he weren’t that nervous, it would probably feel good. Then Yuuri squeaked, his eyes snapping open when Wolfram’s tongue pushed past his lips and met his teeth while demanding entrance. Wolfram’s hands moved up to the back of his head and tugged at it none too gently. Wide-eyed, Yuuri gasped, and Wolfram was in.

What, what? What?! Wait, wait! Too fast, too fast, too fast! Yuuri’s brain screamed, feeling Wolfram’s tongue touching his, their saliva mixing. Wolfram was amused when Yuuri’s palms actually pressed against his chest and started twitching, Yuuri not being sure if he wanted to escape or engage in further activity. It seemed he was advancing too fast for Yuuri’s taste. He had to convince Yuuri to try responding. Even though Yuuri had claimed, and not only once, that he had no experience in these things, he had not really believed and expected his fiancé to really be THAT inexperienced.

A shiver of that weird kind ran down Yuuri’s spine when Wolfram opened him fully, the tongue staking its claim, the kiss still awkward but fierce and finalizing. Dizzy, Yuuri thought that he could feel Wolfram smirking against his mouth. Out of habit he thought about acting angered, but then the thought simply faded. After all, this was exactly what Yuuri had wanted and seen in his dreams… Fire and water had finally meshed.

“C’mon, you two,” Shori shifted from one foot to another while Wolfram was ravishing his brother. “Yuuri, old Mrs. Brown is almost falling out of her window watching you two, and Mrs. Loran, on whose lawn we are currently standing, seems to be calling the police…” 

XXXXX

Wolfram was woken by the sunrays that started peeking through the not drawn windows. He blinked at the bright light, then threw one hand over his eyes to shield them. It took him several moments to grasp his surroundings: a leg thrown on him and soft breathing next to him, the warmth beside him. He closed his eyes again to gather his thoughts and not to dispel the wonderment. 

He didn’t remember much from yesterday. Most of it was like in a haze. He remembered waking up late, way after midday, then Yuuri came to Shori’s flat and then it was just one big blur: Yuuri angry, then he was angry, then Yuuri telling that he loved him, then both of them kissing…or maybe it hadn't happened in that order… Later Shori had driven them to Yuuri’s home, Yuuri not leaving his side even for a moment. Already at home, Yuuri had given him the same T-shirt to dress in, and the two of them had gone to sleep.

Wanting to make sure this was indeed real, Wolfram turned around to face Yuuri. Yuuri’s lip was split and swollen. Wolfram thought that now the two of them were matching each other, but deep down he couldn’t find remorse for hitting Yuuri.

“Morning,” Yuuri muttered still half-asleep, awakened by Wolfram’s shifting in the bed. “What time is it?” He rubbed his eyes.

Wolfram shrugged. He didn’t really understand the time measurement in Yuuri’s world – there was something off with it. Yuuri raised his head over Wolfram’s shoulder to look at the clock on his bedside cabinet. It was half past eight. 

Still staring at the clock, Yuuri put his chin on Wolfram’s shoulder. “Are you okay, Wolfram?”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m glad; you scared me yesterday… I even thought about calling our family doctor…”

“…”

“Wolfram?”

“Umm?”

“Is everything okay between us now?”

“If you haven't suddenly decided to retract the words you said yesterday, it is,” Wolfram sighed.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay,” Yuuri nodded against Wolfram’s shoulder, the fabric of Wolfram’s T-shirt rumpling and rubbing against Yuuri’s chin.

“Yuuri, you are an idiot.”

“I know,” Yuuri shrugged. “But you do love me, don’t you?”

Wolfram rolled his eyes at Yuuri’s pajama covered side. He inhaled the scent wafting from Yuuri. There was some uncertainty in Yuuri’s words. Yes, he supposed Yuuri wasn’t that sure what to think after he had said that he was going to marry Kyota.

“Yes, I do.”

Yuuri was silent for some time. “I want it to be over between you and Kyota,” he said then, still not looking at Wolfram. “I don’t mind him visiting you or the opposite, but no more of that funny stuff like hickeys or anything similar. You are my fiancé, and I won’t tolerate anything suspicious.”

Wolfram averted his eyes away from Yuuri’s side and concentrated on the wall opposite him. “I told him that… I was sure you’d call off the engagement after you returned. I’ve promised to marry him. It’s going to be a bit complicated now.”

“I don’t care about that, Wolfram,” Yuuri’s voice was stern. “You had to wait for my decision, but you didn’t, so now it’s your problem how you twist your way out of it. The fact is that you are my fiancé and I’m not letting you go. I don’t care if you’ll have a row with Kyota because of that. And if he were that stupid as to challenge me, he’d need a hospital.”

Wolfram turned over onto his back to stare at the ceiling, Yuuri raising his head then sitting up and looking down at Wolfram. 

“I wish you had been that possessive earlier, then I wouldn’t be stuck in this situation now…” Wolfram muttered, brushing several blond locks off his face. “But I don’t get it… What made you suddenly realize…? I mean, I had lost all hope that you’d ever…”

Yuuri shifted and returned to lie on his back, too. He wasn’t all that sure how he was going to explain it – he didn’t really understand it himself. “The problem was,” he started, “that in a sexual sense, I really did consider you a substitute for a woman and nothing more. Only much later did it finally get to me that it was quite the opposite… And that…that…” Yuuri flushed bright red as after his stammering Wolfram turned his head to look at him. “I think I… I think that I have… There’s something off with me…” he finally muttered.

“Off?” Wolfram turned to his side to stare at Yuuri’s flushed face. “What do you mean “off”?”

Yuuri didn’t think he could turn any redder. “I started having dreams about… And actually…” Yuuri turned away from Wolfram to face the wall.

“What?” Wolfram asked. “I didn’t hear. Say it again?” He frowned when Yuuri only muttered something under his breath again. “Stop mumbling, Yuuri.”

“Of you taking me, alright? I had dreams of you fucking me! Happy now?!”

“Uh…” Wolfram blinked at Yuuri’s back for some time, not sure what to say. “You don’t need to be that flustered – it’s perfectly normal. It’s not a problem, really. There’s nothing off with you with wanting that. But it’s quite a…shift, I’d say… Then what was that babbling about you not liking guys overall…?”

“I still don’t like them,” Yuuri muttered. He was glad that Wolfram wasn’t laughing at him. “Have no idea how it happened that you... for some reason… I have never comprehended it might be the other way around… That I might really think and like the idea of the other guy…well…”

“You really are an idiot,” Wolfram commented after a pause. “And when did you…understand that…don’t know…”

“When I saw you on the battlefield. The strength and resolve I saw in you…”

Wolfram lay in the stunned silence, his eyes locked on Yuuri’s back. “Seriously?”

“I realized you were more of a man than I am. And… I don’t know…something started changing then…”

“Oh…”

“The whole time while traveling with Yozak I was only getting more and more confused about the entire thing. Then Yozak’s friends came along. 

“One time Armano was talking some nonsense about how he imagined my fiancé, and I…I just snapped telling him that you are not the kind who are fragile or talk funny or wave their hands about in those funny gestures…or cross-dress… And… Yozak’s other friend, Kadira, looked at me… It was such a…weird look. I thought he knew exactly why I was so…mad. He probably didn’t know a thing, but in my head it was probably then when I finally admitted to myself that I liked you more than a friend and exactly why I liked you even though you were…are...a guy…” Yuuri stopped, silent. “I…don’t know… I don’t understand it myself.” He shrugged then. “But feelings never obey logic, so I think it’s…fine as it is, isn’t it?”

“Well, actually I think you’ve managed to clear that up pretty well…” Wolfram said. “You know,” he started again after a short pause, “I didn’t think I’d ever tell that to anyone but…you think too good of me…”

Yuuri finally turned around to face Wolfram. “I don’t think so. I…” he blushed brightly after meeting Wolfram’s eyes.

Wolfram chuckled at Yuuri, his hand reaching out and dipping into Yuuri’s hair to dishevel the dark strands. “You are so cute,” he chuckled. He sighed remembering that Kyota had called him the same.

Yuuri frowned. “I’m not. I’m… I’m just not used to this.”

Wolfram retracted his hand and chuckled again, “Yeah, that’s fine. I think I prefer you this way, all flustered. Sadly, I know that it won’t last long,” Wolfram shook his head, his smile wide.

“Wolfram?” Yuuri turned to lie on his back again to avoid contact with Wolfram’s eyes.

“Mmm?”

“Did you and Kyota… You know…?”

Wolfram was considering pretending that he didn’t understand what Yuuri was talking about and make Yuuri even more embarrassed, but then decided to clear this once and for all. “I didn’t lie to you. It had been close but we didn’t have sex. Ever. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it’s how it is. Kyota is more of a gentleman than you think,” he chuckled.

Yuuri frowned. His head rose to look at Wolfram. “But Kyota…”

Wolfram raised his hand to silence Yuuri. He shook his head. “Whatever you think there was between us, it isn’t quite like that. It’s true that we did…some stuff but… our relationship wasn’t THAT close… true that he wants more, but I… Let’s say I rather consider him my older brother than…a potential lover.”

Yuuri listened intently. He suppressed whatever displeasure arose within him while Wolfram was talking about Kyota. He could understand Wolfram. And he could understand Kyota. But that didn’t mean he liked the relationship between them, especially, when Kyota was pressuring Wolfram to marry him. And he knew it was not the end of it yet – Kyota didn’t seem the type to give up easily.

“Let’s make something to eat,” Yuuri yawned finally. He winced as his split lip protested the wideness. “You could have knocked my teeth out. You have a very heavy right punch…” he muttered, complaining. 

“I know,” Wolfram sniggered. “I do have enough practice, you know. Lately it’s the only thing I do.”

Yuuri only rolled his eyes. He shifted to the rim of the bed. “You should get more concerned about your state of mind, then.” He looked around for his slippers.

“I think you are the one who should be concerned about yours,” Wolfram clicked his tongue at Yuuri’s back, smirking. “I can still see that ice-cream flying…” Laughing, he successfully ducked the pillow that flew at him.

“And whose fault was that?!” Yuuri glared. “Fine, fine,” he raised his hands, giving up as soon as a dangerous spark appeared in Wolfram’s eyes – Yuuri knew it would be some time before the topic would be a safe one and Wolfram would forgive him for those two years of misleading, pushing him away and silence.

“Well, at least now I know why you were that pissed,” Wolfram sighed, rolling off the bed and looking for his slippers, “and also why the hell the arguing matter was so weird and why you kept bringing up Kyota and sex into it…”

Yuuri’s cheeks painted slightly pinkish. He just nodded silently. “What do you want for breakfast?” he asked, turning around to look at Wolfram from the doorway.

Wolfram shrugged and followed Yuuri. “Anything will do.”

“Take a shower, then, and meanwhile I’ll rustle something up,” Yuuri nodded.

“I’ll also need something to change into,” Wolfram motioned at his T-shirt. “I’ve soiled the clothes you gave me earlier.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Yuuri shook his head, climbing downstairs, Wolfram following him. “I’ll find something.”

Wolfram was splashing around in the bathroom while Yuuri was hustling in the kitchen. He switched the kettle on, looked into the fridge, formulated a plan, then went upstairs again to find something for Wolfram to wear, came back and started making sandwiches. Soon Wolfram was out of the bathroom, dressed and went into kitchen-living-room. He watched Yuuri’s final touches on the sandwiches then held Yuuri down after he put the plate with them and a mug of tea on the table in front of him and Yuuri wanted to go to the bathroom.

“Eat with me? You can take a shower later…”

Yuuri faltered then nodded. He sat down next to Wolfram, reaching for a sandwich, then his eyes settled on the bruises on Wolfram’s face. Without any further thought he reached out his hand to Wolfram’s face to start spreading the healing majutsu over his blackened eye and still a bit swollen lip. He smiled as at first Wolfram leaned away from him in unexpectedness then relaxed and let him do as he wished. 

“What happened to you? Shori mentioned something about some people attacking you, but I didn’t really catch up with that…” 

“I didn’t know how to use the phone and asked this guy to call Shori, but he took off with it. So I ran after him to the place where his friends were having a party. We scrimmaged a bit.”

Yuuri shrugged. “Ah well, no big deal, I’ll buy a new phone. I’m just glad that you’re okay,” he pushed the blond locks farther to reach the slight cut near Wolfram’s temple. His fingertips trailed gently over the cut. “Don’t ever do that again, okay? It was just a phone after all.”

Wolfram snickered, swatting Yuuri’s hand away. “And you’re really a wimp alright. As if I’d ever let some Human lowlifes win over me!”

Yuuri leaned back into the mauve couch, taking a sandwich with him. So Wolfram had won the fight. He suddenly felt proud but angered at the same time. “Your pride won’t give you much when you’re dead.” He sighed as Wolfram’s defiant eyes burned into his. “Actually I have thought about talking to the King of Earth about giving you permission to use your fire element on Earth – I think it would be much safer for you, then.”

Wolfram felt pleased and upset at the same time. “I don’t need fire element to deal with these lowlifes,” he bristled, taking a good bite of his sandwich.

“Maybe. But it would make me feel much calmer about your security. Don’t be such a prick, Wolfram. I know you well enough to tell that you feel vulnerable without your power. You are good at sword-fighting and, obviously, at hand-to-hand combat, but you’re simply used to your element.”

For some time Wolfram didn’t say anything then nodded. “Fine.” He took his mug to sip the tea.

“Are your hands okay?”

Wolfram let go of the mug and looked at his palms. “Yeah, your brother took care of it,” he nodded after seeing only a few almost healed bruises. “It seems he’s better at it than you…” he mused, taking his mug again. “And I wonder why fire element wielders are not able to create healing majutsu…”

Yuuri reached for another sandwich, interested. “Really? I thought it was only you…”

Wolfram frowned at him. “No. For some reason the ones who wield fire are not able to create any healing majutsu. Most successful at it are water and earth wielders. The ones who use air element have troubles with it, too – some can create some very low level healing majutsu, but usually it’s not even worth using.”

The doorbell rang loudly, the annoying sound echoing in the rooms, Wolfram jumped and spilled his tea all over the table. Yuuri only sighed. He got up from the sofa and ran into the kitchen then threw a towel to Wolfram. After that he went to open the door.

“Asami?” Yuuri looked at his classmate after opening the door. “Hey, watcha doing here? Wanna come in?”

“Who the hell has adorned you like that?” Asami stared at Yuuri’s swollen and split lip. As far as he knew there were not many guys who could take Yuuri one on one. He had seen Yuuri fight only one or two times, and Yuuri was never one to start the fight and he didn't have much experience in it, but Yuuri exercised a lot, and his right hand was heavy from swinging the bat all the time, which helped him quite a lot.

“My fian…” Yuuri stopped himself before his tongue could slip. “Wolfram.”

“Wolfram? Who is Wolfram?”

“Ah, he’s my friend; we have just gotten into a little spat, that’s it.”

Both of Asami's brows creased in surprise but he didn’t comment. “I tried to call you, but it seems that your phone is switched off. Ransui's team is having a friendly match with Kalari's team. Just several hours left until…” Asami lost his voice for several seconds as a blonde swam into his vision. Even despite a slight bruise on his eye and a bit of a swollen lip… Where the hell did Yuuri get a bishounen from? And why was the blonde wearing Yuuri’s clothes? So this one was Wolfram? Seriously? “…until…until the game starts,” Asami finally finished, staring at the blonde behind Yuuri’s back. “I heard the tickets are really cheap. Want to come?”

Yuuri turned to look at Wolfram. “Want to go to a baseball match? You know the basics of the game anyway,” he added. “This city is playing against the other.”

“Is he asking you out?” Suspicious, Wolfram observed the boy against him. “Sure I want to come,” his smile passed Asami like a whip.

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “Okay. Just get my mobile phone, will you? I have to warn Shori that we are going out.”

TBC


	18. Part 18

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

Part 18

“Hey,” Yuuri greeted Shori after that had answered the phone. “I just wanted to tell you that Asami, Wolfram and I are going to a baseball match. Well, you know the stadium near here. Yeah, we are just having breakfast right now. Yes, okay, I’ll call you again after the match ends. See you later.” Yuuri put the phone back onto the small cabinet that was near the power point and let it recharge further (it had appeared that Asami wasn’t able to reach Yuuri earlier because of the dead battery). 

The whole time Yuuri had been on the phone, Asami had been staring at the calmly eating blonde. Where the hell did Yuuri get him from? He said the blonde’s name was Wolfram. An exotic sounding name. But it was clear that the blonde wasn’t from around here – he had never seen a person with such bright blond hair and green eyes. Besides it seemed that Wolfram didn’t know the language either – Yuuri was talking to him in some weird tongue. Did Wolfram really get in a fight with Yuuri? He didn’t really look that threateningly, rather… Ah well, if Yuuri wanted, he’d tell him about everything. The blonde had started his fifth sandwich when Yuuri finally finished talking with Shori.

“Okay, it’s all set,” Yuuri sat down at the table next to Wolfram and opposite Asami. “Finish your sandwich and we’ll go,” he said to Wolfram. The prince was still slightly coughing, but it was getting better. Yuuri had thought about buying something for his throat, but then became unsure if the same medicine would work on a Mazoku. He was afraid that it might do more damage than benefit, so he decided to do without it and settled on natural remedies, such as hot lime tea and keeping one’s throat warm.

Wolfram nodded. In two minutes he finished his sandwich and tea then stood up. 

“I’m so glad I got a hold of you!” Asami grinned at Yuuri. “It’s going to be great! Remember the match we went to a month ago? I bet this one will be even better!”

His grin wide, Yuuri gave Asami the victory sign. Asami was one of those few close friends he had on Earth, and he was always glad to see him.

“C’mon, guys!” Asami threw his arms over Wolfram’s and Yuuri’s shoulders, dragging them to the door. He didn’t notice Wolfram’s eyes cross in surprise of being that familiarly touched. 

Yuuri got a little worried, but it seemed Wolfram understood that Asami didn’t mean anything bad. The blond just huffed and let himself be directed to their shoes at the door. Yuuri found a scarf for Wolfram to wrap around his throat. It was midsummer but Yuuri knew that Wolfram hardly cared about that; people would stare at him one way or another – with scarf or without it.

They left the house and went directly to the stadium to buy tickets first. As after buying the tickets, there was still some time left until the match started, they went to sit at a nearby café. They chose a free table at the window and settled there. Asami and Yuuri started browsing through the menu.

“So, what do you wa…?” From his menu, Yuuri’s head rose to Wolfram. “Riiight,” Yuuri slapped himself on his forehead when Wolfram glared at him from the colorful pictures he had been browsing through. “Do you want something to eat or just something sweet, like ice-cream or… Hey, I know - hot chocolate. I bet you’ve never tried that one.” Content with his decision, Yuuri turned to the waitress that was leaning on the counter and waiting for them to choose.

“So where is he from?” with his head motioning at Wolfram, Asami asked after the waitress took their order and left. As Yuuri still hadn’t said anything, he decided to take the matters in his own hands. Asami was intrigued to see Yuuri fidget. Even if he had no idea why or what Yuuri wanted to hide, he knew immediately that now a bunch of lies was to follow.

“From Shin Makoku.”

Asami was digging in his memories for some time then blinked at Yuuri. “And where’s that?”

“In Europe.”

“Seriously? Have never heard about such a country.”

“It’s very small,” Yuuri nodded, feeling silly and a bit guilty for lying to his friend.

“Is he your relative or something?” Asami gave a skeptical look at both Yuuri and Wolfram, seeing no way the two could be related.

“A very, very distant one,” Yuuri nodded. He sighed when Wolfram’s discontent gaze settled on him. “He’s asking where from I know you. I said you’re my distant relative.”

“Relative?” Wolfram’s eyes sparkled dangerously. “I’m not your relative… And…” 

“As I said many times before,” Yuuri groaned, “people here don’t understand such a relationship between two boys. I can’t announce everyone that you’re my fiancé. For you it’s easy – you’ll soon be gone to Shin Makoku, and I’ll still have to finish the same school with the same people, and I don’t want people hating me, talking behind my back and throwing things at me. Kids are much worse than grown-ups…”

“That bad, huh?” Wolfram said after a pause. “I’m starting to get the whole picture…” He also started to get the idea why Yuuri had been so reluctant and indecisive towards him. This world was really different; he had one more reason to hate it.

Yuuri was a little surprised when Wolfram simply quieted like that - usually Wolfram didn’t listen to any of his reasoning. But then…Wolfram had probably thought that those had only been pathetic excuses to avoid him.

“So what have you been doing during these several weeks?” Yuuri asked Asami to break the silence.

“Nothing much. Well, I had spent one week at my grandparents in Oshima,” Asami related. “It was a bit boring as I don’t know anyone there, but yeah, there have been some nice moments, too. You know all that mushy stuff the grandparents do – talk about theirs and their kids’ past, ask you all those silly questions, show you the albums, take you shopping and buy you lots of ice-cream and all those funny caps and T-shirts like you would be a five-year-old. Kinda boring and makes you feel uncomfortable for not really feeling that interested, but at the same time you do know that you should appreciate it and it makes you feel warm inside that you have such people like them…”

“Yeah, I perfectly know what you mean…” Yuuri nodded, sighing. He was used to Asami sounding melancholically. Asami was quite sensitive and good with emotions and at reading people. Exactly that had made them friends after all.

Asami made some space in front of him for the waiter to put his plate. Then he dug in his pancakes. Yuuri leaned a little back as the waitress brought his ice-cream and put the small glass dish on the table. Yuuri turned his head to observe Wolfram, who had a very interesting look on his face after having tasted his chocolate. “Something’s wrong?”

Wolfram gave Yuuri a funny look and dipped his spoon back into the cup with the chocolate. “It’s…” he blinked after swallowing and licking off the spoon clean, “…it’s…like…like almost having sex…”

Yuuri choked on his ice-cream, spluttering most of it onto himself the rest of it onto the table. Beet red, Yuuri took several napkins from the case and started cleaning the mess. “You said you hadn’t ever done it…then how do you know?” he muttered. He couldn’t believe that of all people Wolfram had said that. Really, people said that about chocolate sometimes, but Wolfram opening his mouth in front of everyone…

Wolfram rolled his eyes, amused by Yuuri’s reaction. “But it’s not as if I don’t masturb…”

“Wolfram!” Yuuri yelled, horror-stricken, his hand shooting out to cover Wolfram’s mouth. Wolfram’s “modesty” had always impressed him. His head turned to Asami who was staring at them, confused. Only then Yuuri remembered that he couldn’t understand Wolfram. Slowly, trying to will his blush away, Yuuri removed his palm from Wolfram’s mouth. “Sometimes it seems to me that you only think about sex…” He continued cleaning himself and the table with the napkins.

“And you don’t?!” Wolfram pretended to be aghast, making his eyes wide. “Something’s wrong with you!” The prince snickered when Yuuri blushed again. He rolled his eyes when embarrassed Yuuri only muttered something then turned to engage Asami in conversation.

“What did he say?” Asami wondered at Yuuri’s red face.

“Nothing much,” Yuuri shook his head, but his blush deepened. Wolfram was clearly stating his claim on him and increasing sexual tension between them and he was succeeding – his skin was tingling each time he would catch Wolfram looking at him; Wolfram was really much more experienced at these games than him.

“Umm… Yeah, right…” Asami murmured. “He’s sooo obviously flirting with you, and you’re sooo obviously loving it…”

Yuuri choked on his ice-cream again. After coughing for a minute, he finally caught his breath back. Wide-eyed, he stared at Asami who continued jabbing his pancakes mournfully.

“I just wish you’ve told me. I told you when I found my first girlfriend after all… And I’ve also told you about my first time…” Asami complained. “We used to say everything to each other…”

“Eeep?” Yuuri squeaked. It took him several seconds to find his composure. “I umm…” he fell silent, being not sure as to what to say. He finished his ice-cream and pushed the dish farther from himself. He hadn’t thought the two of them were that obvious, and he really didn’t think that Asami would have no problem with him being…gay?...bisexual…? That he still had to figure out himself.

“Well, I thought we were best friends, Yuuri…” Asami pushed the last pancake around in his plate. “Even if during these two years you’ve distanced yourself… Was it because you discovered you were gay?”

Yuuri tried to formulate his thoughts to say something, but the words just escaped him. “I’m…sorry,” Yuuri muttered finally. “I just…had many things to do and think about… It’s not that I…forgot you.”

“Well, it seemed like it,” Asami said, bitter. 

Yuuri was silent for some time. He felt bad for making his best friend feel like this – probably Asami inviting him to a baseball match was his last attempt to renew their friendship. While taking care of his own problems he had forgotten his friends. Unforgivable. 

“Wolfram is my fiancé…” Yuuri said. He scratched his head when Asami gave him a disbelieving look. “Well, there’s a long story to that…” 

“Are you in a hurry?” Asami asked, coming back to eating his pancake.

Yuuri flustered. “Well… First of all, I’m the king of the country that is in a different world…” He looked at Asami expectantly.

“Sure, that much I figured from your golden crown and scepter,” Asami snickered. He stuck his chopsticks at Yuuri. “Listen, Yuuri, if you’re gonna talk shit, I don’t…”

“I’m completely serious,” Yuuri confirmed.

This time Asami pointed his chopsticks at Wolfram who was enjoying his hot chocolate blissfully. “And the blonde is your future queen? Serious my ass!”

“Well…not a queen…” Yuuri wondered. “I still have to figure out that part myself, but yeah, as said, he’s my fiancé.”

“Yuuri…” Asami growled, his angry eyes locking on Yuuri’s face.

“Okay,” Yuuri frowned back at him. “Watch Wolfram’s chocolate. Besides being a king, I’m also able to control all four elements.”

“Goddamit, Yuuri,” Wolfram glared at Yuuri when his chocolate floated out of the dish. “Play with your own food!” He took the dish in his hand and raised it to scoop the floating mass back.

Asami paled. He turned back to Yuuri. “You…you are serious, aren’t you?”

XXXXX

Wolfram stared at the field in front of him with a bored look on his face. Lazily, his eyes followed the ball. No, he seriously couldn’t understand why Yuuri, Conrad or this Asami liked the game. Yuuri and Asami were cheering something on, obviously super excited about something, but Wolfram wasn’t even sure which team was theirs, and to tell the truth he didn’t really care – the game was just plainly boring.

“Here, play a game or something,” Yuuri pushed his mobile phone into Wolfram’s hands then he, together with Asami, jumped from their seat to cheer their team on after a successful pitch.

Wolfram blinked at the phone in his hands. He raised his head to stare at Yuuri’s backside in front of his face while Yuuri was jumping up and down excitedly. He was a bit disappointed when Yuuri sat down all too soon. “Umm… Do you know that there’s a frog inside it?” he asked Yuuri, showing the phone.

“Yeah, just manipulate it with those arrows on the phone,” Yuuri continued to cheer his team on.

“Okay,” Wolfram shrugged. 

“Yuuri?” Wolfram raised his head after twenty minutes of playing the game. “Is there anything besides the frog? I keep getting eaten by that stupid tiger.”

“Yeah, the one with the snake. Give me that,” he quickly found the game then gave the phone back to Wolfram. “Just pick up those blinking dots. Yes! Take that!” he screamed at the field, striking high into the air with his right fist.

“We are winning, we are winning!” Asami shouted, happily. 

“Yuuri, the view went blank…” Wolfram complained after five minutes.

“Wolfram, can’t you simply watch the game?” Yuuri’s eyes followed the running man on the field.

“I don’t like it. Can’t you do anything?”

“No. The battery is dead. Yes!” Yuuri shouted victoriously. “Asami, give him your phone. Show him the games, or he’ll drive me crazy.” He turned back to Wolfram. “Never again you’re going to a match with me!”

“Whatever. I wouldn’t go even if you paid me!” Wolfram reached his hand out to take Asami’s phone. “I just went because it seemed like this Asami was hitting on you. I don’t understand how you can like this pointless game!”

“He’s not hitting on me – he’s my best friend. And it’s not pointless!”

“Whatever.” Wolfram’s blond brow rose at Yuuri. “Kyota is my best friend…” he left it hanging.

Yuuri gritted his teeth – was Wolfram looking for trouble again? “Some best friends are a bit different!”

“Fine. Watch your game, you paid the money for it after all,” Wolfram waved him off dismissively after getting the hang of controlling some guy on the screen.

Fifteen minutes later the game was over and the three of them turned towards Yuuri’s home. Ransui team had won the game, and Yuuri’s with Asami’s moods were high. 

“Hey, not bad,” Asami said after retrieving his phone. “Your fiancé has beaten all my records.”

“Wolfram’s good at that, I mean at stubbornly beating records,” Yuuri nodded. “Though, I didn’t believe he’d even like playing with the phone… Especially, keeping in mind that he considers it the invention of the devil. Ah well, as usual, it seems that he’s quick to forget his superstitions.” 

“Yuuri?”

“He said you had beaten his records on the game,” Yuuri translated. “And I said that you’re good at being stubborn.”

“Ah. Okay. What are we going to do now?”

“We’ll go back, find something to eat and…dunno. Listen to some music, play some computer games or whatever. We’d go play baseball, you know, but you’d sulk for the rest of the day, wouldn’t you?” Yuuri sighed.

“Yes, and I don’t feel guilty at all,” Wolfram’s emerald eyes flashed defiantly. “Music? What kind of music? I hate the one you call rock… Games? What kind of games? The ones like in the phone? I want to play too!”

“Fine, fine,” Yuuri ruffled through his dark hair with his fingers, thinking. “I’ll see what I have – there should be some classical pieces somewhere and I think I have some games without baseball.”

Already at home, Yuuri heated some of the food his mother had left for them, made some tea, switched the TV on, and they sat down to eat.

“Seriously, I love your mom’s cooking, it’s the best,” Asami sighed, content.

“Yeah,” Yuuri agreed. “Even Wolfram likes it. He had been suspicious for first several days but then let it go.”

Asami turned to look at Wolfram, who was ignoring them completely and staring at the TV, obviously trying to get the hang of it – there was Animal Planet on. This Yuuri’s fiancé seemed to be in a learning mode today. “Yuuri, you said you got accidentally engaged after slapping him. Do you really… Well, are you okay with it? Well, I see that you like him a lot, but… Well, of course, I don’t know him and can’t talk to him, but he rather looks like an inconsiderate…well…blonde…”

Yuuri blinked at Asami. He thought about translating everything for Wolfram, but then decided that he didn’t want the house turned into wreckage. He just sighed. “I love him,” Yuuri said, feeling sheepish. “I needed two years to finally realize that, but now I’m completely content and happy. Seriously,” he nodded at Asami’s skeptical face. “Well, yeah, look at it how you want - he’s really not a girl, far from it, but... Just…happened… And he isn’t really what he seems to be. You’d be surprised…” he just shrugged not finishing.

Asami watched Yuuri for some time then nodded. “Umm… You two…have you done it?”

Yuuri flushed beet red, the bright color catching Wolfram’s eye. The blond’s unfriendly gaze locked on Asami, who was looking at both of them. 

“Is he hitting on you?” Wolfram’s voice sounded dangerous.

“No, he’s asking if we have ever done “it”.”

“What the hell is his business?” Wolfram snorted, his cheeks also turning pinkish. “Tell him to keep his nose away! Say that we haven’t, but we plan to do “it” or at least have some fun in the short run.”

Yuuri’s eyes went round. “Seriously?”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

Yuuri flushed scarlet once again. “Well…” he fidgeted, “…no.”

Hiding his smile, Wolfram turned back to follow the moving animal pictures on TV. Yuuri was so much fun to tease.

XXXXX

It was past nine, the summer sky was showing first signs of evening. Asami had left earlier and Yuuri was vacuuming the living-room, Wolfram sitting on the sofa, observing the burring process with a cautious look on his face. After a couple of minutes he climbed off the sofa and stood behind Yuuri to watch into the head disappearing crumbles, dirt, pieces of crisps and cookies.

“This is quite useful, you know…”

“Yeah, I know,” Yuuri smiled for himself.

“Why are you doing that?”

“What do you mean “why”? Because if my mom or any of her crazed friends saw this mess and told her, she’d have a heart attack, and after that she’d want to clean this pigsty herself.”

Wolfram’s emerald eyes followed the vacuum-cleaner for several seconds. “Should I wash dishes or something, then?”

Yuuri turned around to grin at him. “And you’re getting the hang of the life here, I see…”

“Well, you know what they say – look at the bathroom and you’ll know how the people live. I know that your parents are really poor. Your mother probably does everything herself. That’s why she was so happy when Conrad cleaned the bath for her…”

“Seriously? They say that?” Yuuri wondered, moving with the vacuum-cleaner closer to the kitchen.

“Yeah, the size of the bathroom tells it all…”

“Well, actually we are an average family,” Yuuri shrugged. “So what does the bathroom at Blood Pledge Castle say? Here,” he opened the dishwasher, “just rinse the dishes somewhat before putting everything here.”

“Huh?” Wolfram blinked at Yuuri, his gaze lost between Yuuri and the dishwasher, not understanding.

“Despite we are really, really poor,” Yuuri sniggered, “we do have a dishwasher. You just put the dishes in here,” he motioned with his hand, “then switch it on, and it washes it all instead of you. Later I’ll show you the washing-machine – I have to wash the clothes anyway.”

“Okay,” Wolfram said a bit unsure but started doing as he had been told. “Well, Blood Pledge Castle has the best baths I have ever been to. The ones at Gunter’s and my father’s are really good too. Kyota’s is smaller than ours but very nicely decorated, and…umm…” he quieted, noticing Yuuri’s darkened face. Yuuri didn’t say a word, but he knew it wasn’t pleasant to Yuuri to hear him talking about Kyota. Wolfram leaned down and continued arranging the dishes in the dishwasher. “Yours is actually the smallest I have ever been to…but has the nicest smelling shampoo,” he chuckled.

“I can buy a full box of it and bring it to Shin Makoku, if His Highness wishes,” Yuuri chuckled, too, bowing, his mood elated again.

“So eager to please your fiancé?” Wolfram teased, his emerald eyes sparkling, amused.

Yuuri laughed softly. He finished vacuuming the living-room, switched the dishwasher on, sent Wolfram to gather all dirty clothes upstairs while he himself was assorting the clothes from the laundry basket in the bathroom. 

“Thanks,” Yuuri took a bundle of clothes from Wolfram. “I’ll wash light clothes today. The rest will come tomorrow. Watch now – you just have to turn this handle to this point…” Yuuri paused. From the handle, Yuuri’s eyes rose to meet Wolfram’s. “You know… I’ll start teaching you how to read tomorrow…at least the basics that you’d have firm ground… Would you like that?”

Surprised, Wolfram didn’t even know what to say for some time. Then he smiled brightly. “Well, yes, I’d like that very much.” 

Yuuri grinned back at Wolfram’s enthusiastically sparkling eyes. Yuuri suppressed the urge to reach his hand out to…he wasn’t even sure what he wanted to do, probably just to touch Wolfram or ruffle his hair affectionately. Instead, Yuuri lowered his eyes and pressed the button to turn the washing-machine on. “Okay, take a shower, and I’ll finish vacuuming the rooms.”

Wolfram nodded. He went upstairs to take his T-shirt he was using here for sleeping, and went back into the bathroom. Contently, he relaxed under the warm stream. He loved how this day had passed. He had liked even Asami – already after spending several minutes with the guy, he perfectly knew that Asami hadn’t been hitting on Yuuri. He had just been teasing Yuuri about it. Yuuri had a very good friend, and he had much fun playing those games together with them, laughing and cursing, and it felt so nice and right. He was sure that after he finally was able to talk, it would be even better.

Almost at the same time Wolfram left the bathroom, Yuuri finished vacuuming the rooms.

“I’m going to bed,” standing behind Yuuri, Wolfram brushed with a towel over his damp hair while Yuuri was placing the vacuum-cleaner back into the storeroom. “Don’t take too long, will you?”

“I’ll just take a shower, too.”

XXXXX

Silently, Yuuri snuck into the dark room. He hoped that Wolfram would be asleep, but at the same time he wanted that he would be awake. But it would be better that Wolfram would be sleeping, because then he wouldn’t need to think too much about what to do and what would happen and… Yuuri tiptoed to the bed, and slowly, very slowly slid under the covers. Once done and comfortably settled he exhaled contently.

“Eeeh!” he yelped in surprise when Wolfram’s arm wrapped around his waist.

“And you really are a wimp, aren’t you?” amused, Wolfram leaned to murmur into Yuuri’s ear. He just grinned when Yuuri tried to say something to justify himself, but the words didn’t make much sense. Yuuri’s body was rigid under his arm, and he could feel the heat wafting from Yuuri’s face. He let go of Yuuri and leaned over to switch the table-lamp on behind him.

They both blinked their blinded eyes at each other. Wolfram retracted his arm and sat down. There was a nervous look on Yuuri’s face, the other boy still lying and gazing back up at him silently. Their eyes were locked for some time then, neither of the two managing to keep the contact, lowered their eyes. 

Yuuri was still studying the rumpled white covers on his chest when suddenly the bed shifted. Yuuri hardly kept himself from jolting when Wolfram’s warm breath wafted over his right cheek.

“Are you that afraid?” Wolfram murmured in Yuuri’s ear while Yuuri just stared at the ceiling in the half-light.

Yuuri nodded, swallowing involuntary. Worse than afraid, in spite of strong shivers of anticipation going up and down his spine, he still felt almost panicky.

“Me too,” Wolfram admitted to him. “We are equal, then. Why don’t we try relaxing, umm?” Wolfram raised his face to brush his lips over Yuuri’s. When Yuuri didn’t protest, he started to nip and suckle gently, his upper body lowering over Yuuri’s chest and stomach.

Yuuri’s view to the ceiling was blocked by the pale skin. He stared at in his eyes swimming Wolfram’s face from up close, at his closed eyelids while Wolfram’s lips were teasing and coaxing his to answer. Wolfram’s lips were warm and slick and he could feel Wolfram’s breath wafting over his face. It was…surreal.

Yuuri’s eyes closed at the feel of Wolfram’s fingers ruffling through his hair and massaging his scalp. It was nice. And the kiss…this time it was less aggressive, no tongue, and it was…really, really nice. 

Yuuri’s eyelashes fluttered when Wolfram’s mouth from his lips slid to his jaw then neck. A silent exhalation left him when the wet tongue slid over his skin. Wolfram’s soft trail of nips and kisses lined over his neck, making him shiver.

“Do you like this?”

Wolfram’s voice had a lower note to it. A little breathless, Yuuri nodded. It was getting warmer, Yuuri noticed. He flushed scarlet at the feel of his lower regions swelling at Wolfram’s attention and his voice.

Yes, just right there, at his right ear. With another, louder intake of air, Yuuri expressed his approval when Wolfram nipped on that place again. But at the same time Yuuri became aware of Wolfram’s right hand that was ruffling his T-shirt, wanting to slide underneath it. Yuuri’s breath hitched, the shiver of anticipation running from his head to his toes and then to his groin. He tensed when Wolfram slid his hand over the bare skin of his stomach. The hand stayed there for some time, just drawing small teasing circles over his heated skin then came up to his chest. 

Yuuri’s eyes widened as Wolfram splayed his fingers out over his skin. Wolfram rolled his right nipple between his fingers and Yuuri gasped loudly. He breathed in the scent of fresh shampoo wafting of Wolfram’s blond hair while Wolfram was kissing up his neck and to his jaw where Wolfram’s lips soon moved over his mouth, the blond’s hand slipping from under his shirt to cup Yuuri’s face. Yuuri had already felt hot all over but when Wolfram shifted so that he was almost overlying him, he thought he’d burn: Wolfram’s weight, pressing him into the bedding felt enticing, his skin tingling at their bodies pressed in this manner. 

Wolfram teased and nipped on his lips, but soon it didn’t seem to be enough of that and Yuuri widened his mouth to let Wolfram in. Wolfram’s tongue entered him, prodded and brushed over his several times. Yuuri touched Wolfram’s tongue back with his, slid against it tentatively, their saliva mixing. Their tongues touched and experimented until Wolfram retreated. They shifted their heads so that they would fit better together then Wolfram entered again and then again, crouching against Yuuri, his hands sliding up and down Yuuri’s sides, rumpling the T-shirt on their way. The kisses were turning more passionate, Wolfram still having the lead, but Yuuri not wanting to give up.

Wolfram’s lips moved away from Yuuri’s and his T-shirt was pushed up his stomach, making the room for Wolfram to explore his bare skin. His body twitched underneath Wolfram’s tongue as that washed over his chest. His mouth made a soundless “o” when Wolfram circled his right nipple. Yuuri’s fingers dove into Wolfram’s blond hair to keep his head there.

Yuuri arched into the hot mouth that engulfed his already erect nipple. His fingers grasping Wolfram’s locks even tighter, he couldn’t keep himself from moaning. He felt Wolfram shiver above him, his teeth tugging at his nub more forcefully. His member jerked at the thrill of it all and at how Wolfram reacted to his involuntary gasps.

“Take your T-shirt off,” Yuuri panted out.

Dizzily, Wolfram raised his head to look at Yuuri. “You first,” he tugged Yuuri’s T-shirt up to his armpits, pushing the material in Yuuri’s face. Wolfram wanted to a smirk at the boy after that pushed the T-shirt off his face but because of the lust in his eyes the expression on his face didn’t really work out – Yuuri was the one who sat up and grinned back at him drunkenly after taking his T-shirt off.

Now they were kneeling face to face, Yuuri tugging at Wolfram’s nightwear impatiently, his hands wanting to touch more of Wolfram. Fervently, Yuuri caught Wolfram’s lips with his as soon as the blond’s shirt was taken care of. He pressed himself to the prince, their hips coming in contact, making them both gasp. 

“And you are bold…” Wolfram panted out, during the breaks while answering the heated kiss. “For a wimp…”

“Shut up, Wolfram,” Yuuri latched onto Wolfram’s throat. He nudged the prince’s chin up to get more access. Wolfram’s whimper was delightful. He inhaled Wolfram’s scent while pushing against the blond’s hips tentatively. Yuuri had been afraid that he might feel turned off or even repulsed but there was none of that, true - he found it a little weird to feel Wolfram’s member against his, but it just aroused him even more to find that Wolfram was also hard.

Yuuri’s mouth slid off Wolfram’s as he turned his head to the side to pant. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears, his body burning. He was glad that his shorts were loose enough for him to adjust. 

The harsh short breaths and gasps leaving his mouth, Yuuri continued to rock his body against Wolfram’s. Wolfram thrust back eagerly, his hips meeting Yuuri’s, his arms wrapped around the dark-haired boy, pressing them together. Yuuri jerked forward into the blond when Wolfram’s hand squeezed his backside.

Yuuri blinked his eyes open at a sudden feeling of cool air passing over his body when Wolfram retreated. He gasped when Wolfram pushed him back into the bedding. He grunted and blushed fiercely when Wolfram’s hand found his erected member. But a second later he was beyond caring. A loud moan left his lips when Wolfram’s palm slid over the front of his light shorts, his member jerking in excitement. He immediately thrust into Wolfram’s hand. The blond’s fingers cupped him then stroked through the cloth. 

“W-Wolfram,” Yuuri gasped out whimpering. “I’m…I’m…”

Yuuri arched off the bed, his mouth open and his face scrunched. He shuddered then and his lightly perspired body slumped back into the bedding. 

The orgasm had been quick and fleeting - it didn’t leave much satisfaction and after several seconds of gathering his wits and panting, Yuuri opened his eyes to look at Wolfram above him. An embarrassed blush added to the color of Yuuri’s bright cheeks.

“And there I was worrying that I wouldn’t manage to even arouse you…” Wolfram purred before leaning down to kiss Yuuri. 

“I’m sorry,” Yuuri mumbled.

Wolfram just laughed into Yuuri’s mouth, amused. With a little of Yuuri’s help, he pushed Yuuri’s soiled shorts down his hips. Wolfram was immediately aware of the scent that flooded the room – it made his head spin even more. Mazokus were more sensitive to scents than Humans and it had a greater effect on them. He leaned down so that his face was over Yuuri’s crotch. Yuuri’s wide eyes watching him, Wolfram licked curiously at the salty cooling liquid that was turning white. He felt Yuuri’s renewed arousal jerk against his cheek.

Wolfram turned his head so that his lips were pressed against Yuuri’s half-erect shaft. It jerked again, landing back against his lips with a soft thud.

“W-Wolfram!” Yuuri shuffled back away in the bed. “W-W…”

Wolfram gazed at Yuuri. Yuuri was staring at him with frightened but at the same time of reluctant anticipation filled eyes. Maybe he’d store this for later, Wolfram decided – too much of excitement for one day, besides, he himself was not sure that he was ready to move that fast.

Wolfram crawled over to Yuuri until their faces met again. He pressed his mouth to Yuuri’s, his hands sliding up Yuuri’s sides and up to his chest to tease the erect nipples. Yuuri moaned into Wolfram’s mouth, his hands rising up to Wolfram’s shoulders to pull the prince closer. One of his hands slid to Wolfram’s hair to entangle into the soft locks to make the kiss deeper.

Yuuri’s mouth moved over Wolfram’s, cravings heightening with each passing second. His hands slid down over Wolfram’s damp sides to his waist to the waistband of his shorts. A tentative tug on it made Wolfram open his eyes. They met two dark orbs that were smoldering with renewed lust. Holding the prince’s gaze, Yuuri pushed the shorts down Wolfram’s hips. He looked down when they caught on Wolfram’s arousal and made the blond gasp. Yuuri pulled the waistband further off Wolfram’s body and slid the shorts off the blond’s hips.

Wolfram was a natural blond. That Yuuri could say for sure: a hardly visible path of blond was starting a bit under Wolfram’s bellybutton and gradually widening until it turned into a triangle. A few pre-cum dews were collected on the red head of the throbbing length. Wolfram had a longer penis than him, but his was wider in girth than Wolfram’s. 

Breath caught in Wolfram’s throat when Yuuri continued tugging his shorts down, his palms and fingers sliding smoothly over his hips and buttocks, squeezing lightly. Wolfram kicked his shorts off and maneuvered himself and Yuuri so that they lay on their sides against each other. They both started shivering in anticipation when Wolfram found Yuuri’s hand and began to guide it down between them. Yuuri’s lower body was covered in his seed and Wolfram smeared Yuuri’s palm with it on the way. They reached even lower and Wolfram’s fingers enclosed Yuuri’s to wrap them around their erections. Wolfram released his shaky breath he had been holding for quite some time.

Yuuri jerked in his own palm at the feeling of it all. Tentatively, he stroked up and down. It was hot and slick, and it was completely different from when he had been doing it himself. There was Wolfram’s hand on his, guiding. In addition he could feel Wolfram pulsing against himself which was just surreal. Yuuri opened his eyes to look at Wolfram. Wolfram had his eyes closed, but his face was in some sort of concentration even if his lips were slightly open to pant lightly. Yuuri felt dizzy, the sight only adding to muddling his senses. His head was swimming with scents and pleasure. On the spur of the moment he leaned over to claim Wolfram’s mouth wanting…wanting… He didn’t know what he wanted anymore, only to sate that fire inside him. He wanted nothing more, cared for nothing more.

Together, they moved their hands up and down, the pace getting quicker, the pleasure taking them both over completely. They kissed messily then Wolfram leaned down to plant fleeting kisses on Yuuri’s neck and chest.

Wolfram had dreamed long about it, about how it would be, about how they would do it, about how wonderful it would be, about how they would be consumed by their love. Right now he didn’t care about all that, not really. He was too far gone now to think – he could only feel. Yuuri’s hand on him, Yuuri’s gasps and groans against his skin, Yuuri’s charged body against him, sweat gathering on them, the coiling wire of fire in his loins getting tighter with each stroke of Yuuri’s fingers and…

Yuuri yelped when Wolfram suddenly bit his shoulder. He felt Wolfram squeezing his fingers with his, the movements on their members now jerky and hardly controlled. He could feel Wolfram pulsing hotly in his hand and knowing that Wolfram was almost there he rubbed over the oozing heads several times. 

Wolfram tensed suddenly, his teeth clamping further into Yuuri’s skin. Yuuri felt him jerk and hot liquid coated their fingers. It made Yuuri lose his control completely and after a few short mindless jerks on his shaft he followed Wolfram.

Wolfram’s teeth unclamped from Yuuri’s skin. He had heard Yuuri shout something incoherently and knew he had also come. His head still swimming from the aftermath and his breathing harsh, Wolfram rolled over onto his back and looked around for the earlier discarded cover.

“’M sorry for biting you,” he muttered tiredly.

Yuuri panted for some time. He rolled onto his back, too. “Huh? Did you say anything?” he gasped out later. His heart was still pounding loudly in his ears.

“I said I was sorry for biting you.”

“Biting? Oh. Doesn’t matter. I was sure to leave my hickeys on you after all…” Out of his breath, Yuuri grinned up at the ceiling.

TBC


	19. Part 19

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

Part 19

The morning came fast and without a warning. Yuuri roused from his sleep. He could hear a soft snoring wafting from somewhere. After opening his eyes he saw that Wolfram was lying slantwise to the bed, his feet wide, one of them thrown on him, another bent and rammed into Yuuri’s side. Wolfram’s head and half of his upper body were resting on the floor on the red rug. Wolfram was wrapped into the cover like into an irregular cocoon.

Yuuri flushed bright red after realizing that he himself was left completely naked. He wasn’t used to anything like waking up and finding himself naked, less after…

For a moment there Yuuri even stopped breathing. A weird, unsettling feeling overcame him and accumulated heavily in his gut. Only now he started realizing what happened to full extent. He had…he had done that sort of thing with a guy. It wasn’t that he was regretting that, but it was just…unbelievable. He was in bed with a man, with a naked man.

Yuuri leaned over and reached his hand to grab Wolfram’s. He pulled the blond up until the prince was parallel to him then covered both of them with the cover. Wolfram shifted, got more comfortable in the bed and slept further. Unconsciously, Yuuri smiled at small roundly shaped bruises that had formed on Wolfram’s neck and shoulders during the night.

Wolfram had been careful with him yesterday. There was no way he could have missed that. Wolfram didn’t do anything he didn’t want. Careful kisses, tentative caresses. He knew that Wolfram was more experienced in that field but was wary of making him uncomfortable or scaring him off. What they did was a very tentative start – they only masturbated and even then Wolfram didn’t touch him, only guided him, in which he touched himself much more than Wolfram. 

Yuuri listened to now soft Wolfram’s breathing next to him. Wolfram looked angelic when asleep: the full lips that had felt delectable when they had been kissing; small pointy nose; dark eyelashes resting against the pale and smooth skin of his cheeks; the fair locks that were so soft to the touch and always smelled of some kind of shampoo; the unbelievably green eyes were closed now, but he knew that besides their emerald shine they could hold fire. He loved Wolfram for that fire, for that spirit he possessed. Little did Yuuri know that those had been Kyota’s thoughts exactly. Little did he know and little would he care if anyone told him that. 

For two years Wolfram had been waging war against him and trying to win him over. Wolfram didn’t give up, didn’t cease his efforts and Wolfram did win, they both did.

A sudden feeling of completeness and gratefulness came over Yuuri and he grabbed Wolfram into a fierce hug.

“Y-Yuuri…?” Wolfram muttered, his sleepy and confused eyes blinking at Yuuri’s black hair. He could feel Yuuri shaking against him. “Yuuri?” His voice grew worried and he tried to sit up but Yuuri held him firmly. “Did something happen?”

His throat constricting painfully, Yuuri shook his head in denial. “No. No, everything is okay, Wolfram. I’m just happy. Very, very happy.”

Wolfram closed his eyes, smiling. He relaxed. Yuuri’s body felt hot against his. He could still remember Yuuri’s kisses, tentative touches and caresses. The remembrance was still burning on the trails that Yuuri had left on his skin. He could still taste Yuuri in his mouth. There still was some of the sticky proof of the previous night on his stomach and between his thighs.

Yuuri felt a hot lump forming against his bare thigh. It seemed that Wolfram wanted to repeat yesterday. He had nothing against it – quite the opposite.

They both gasped when Yuuri pushed his hips forward against Wolfram’s. They were naked and could feel each other hardening further and twitching. Wolfram slid the cover off them to see Yuuri who blushed and felt the urge to cover his groin. Wolfram caught his hand before it could do that. Instead, he moved it aside and lowered his own hand to Yuuri’s crotch. He trailed his fingers along the shaft. Yuuri gasped and squirmed on the bed, fighting the sudden wish to close his legs.

It had been different yesterday when the dim light hardly showed anything. Wide-eyed and beet red but nonetheless excited and thrilled, Yuuri watched Wolfram’s fingers playing with him. It seemed that Wolfram wasn’t very sure about what he was doing either. But Yuuri had no complaints about his experiments – the soft stroking where Wolfram’s fingertips brushed over the length or his arousal’s head was most enthusing.

Wolfram was pleased to see Yuuri reacting to him strongly even if Yuuri himself seemed sheepish and was red-faced. But after several strokes when he applied more pressure, Yuuri soon forgot his shyness: his back soon fitted the bedding completely, his head rested on the pillow watching Wolfram’s ministrations from under a line of thick eyelashes.

Wolfram was reminded once again that Yuuri’s skin was a tad darker than his. They both were built similarly and their bodies hadn’t finished developing yet, but he already could see that Yuuri was going to be taller and bulkier than him. Actually, Yuuri was going to grow up much faster than him. But he didn’t want to think about it right now.

Taking the opportunity of Yuuri’s wider spread legs, Wolfram moved farther between them. The movement made Yuuri’s clouded eyes clearer. He watched Wolfram lean above him. 

Wolfram’s mouth pressed to Yuuri’s chest, the soft curls of blond hair feeling cool against his agitated skin. Yuuri shivered at the tickling sensation. As Wolfram’s tongue flicked over one of his nipples, of its own accord Yuuri’s hand dove into that blonde mass of hair over him. He arched into the hot mouth. Wolfram teased the nipple, his teeth grazing softly then his tongue darting out to soothe it. Wolfram’s left hand trailed up Yuuri’s stomach to even the score with Yuuri’s other nipple. 

Wolfram closed his eyes at the feel of Yuuri’s fingers massaging his scalp, asking and encouraging him further. It was unbelievable to hear Yuuri letting out those deliciously soft sounds. Each of those sounds made him shiver in that warm gust that passed over him after hearing them. The warmth gathered in his chest and stomach and then spread further down, making him react and ache.

The blond locks swept further down over Yuuri’s skin. Wolfram’s kisses bloomed with red hotness over his quivering stomach. Wolfram’s mouth faltered over Yuuri’s navel and Yuuri’s lips opened in a silent gasp as suddenly Wolfram’s wet tongue dipped inside, reaching the very bottom of it, making Yuuri jerk underneath Wolfram. The tongue circled the inner walls, making Yuuri moan loudly. Yuuri gripped the sheets under his sweaty palms and let the incredible feeling surge through him when Wolfram’s tongue dipped in and out rapidly. 

Wolfram could feel Yuuri trembling beneath him and it enflamed him even further. He pressed his hand flat on Yuuri’s hips to keep him there. Yuuri was left shivering and panting when Wolfram’s tongue retreated, letting him to get some of his breath back. Yuuri exhaled loudly, his breath coming out in shaky gasps. 

Intending to repay for all the pleasure he got yesterday and was getting now, Yuuri reached his hand forward to Wolfram’s erect member, but Wolfram retreated back. At the same when time Wolfram lowered his head, Yuuri’s lips opened to protest, but they let out only a loud grunt and his hips jerked forward, being held only by Wolfram’s hand.

“W-Wo… Gah!” he gasped again as Wolfram’s tongue lapped at the tip of his penis again. Yuuri’s head slammed back into the pillow and his eyes squeezed shut as Wolfram took the part of him into his mouth. It was hot and warm and wet and slick and so different and so incredible.

As Yuuri tried to push deeper into his mouth, Wolfram let him but not far and wrapped his free hand around the rest of Yuuri’s erection to cover it entirely. Yuuri’s scent was strong, the yesterday’s semen and pre-cum mixing with the newly secreted liquids. He liked the smell – it was manly, young and potent. But he realized that if there were any other man instead of Yuuri, he would probably find it repulsive.

Yuuri opened his eyes to see Wolfram’s head bobbing up and down slowly over his length, his hand massaging and covering the rest what his mouth wasn’t able to and teasing his testicles. It was incredible to have Wolfram do that to him. He felt embarrassed but the pleasure was winning over it and the feeling fled, leaving place only for that burning wire in his lower stomach. Yuuri could feel himself jerk and swell even further when his and Wolfram’s eyes met. They stared at each other, then, not managing to hold his gaze, with a low groan, he lowered his eyes and, his face burning, turned his head away from those unbelievably green pools.

Wolfram watched Yuuri turning his head to the side and panting into the pillow. Yuuri’s thighs were starting to shake, his body was covered with a thin layer of sweat and he knew that Yuuri was close. He sucked rougher and increased the pace, making Yuuri’s body writhe underneath him and Yuuri’s hips try to push further into his throat while Yuuri tossed his head from one side to another.

Yuuri felt that tight glowing ball accumulating and spreading further in his lower stomach. Desperately, he thrust into the hot cave to sate that ball and then it burst, forcing his mouth to open in a soundless groan and his back arch off the bed. 

Wolfram faltered, undecided but then he had no time to do anything as Yuuri came in his mouth. The taste was bitter and salty and he frowned at it. He swallowed as much as he could but he still choked in the end and was caught in a coughing fit.

Taken by surprise, Wolfram raised his head as Yuuri brushed over his lips and chin with his fingers to wipe the excess of his own fluids.

“That was…” Not finishing, Yuuri squatted closer and leaned to Wolfram’s mouth to taste himself.

Wolfram grunted when after short-lasting kiss his back hit the mattress, his head hanging over the edge of the bed. “And you really are bold…” Wolfram gasped out when Yuuri’s hand pressed his hips down, his other hand wrapping around his swollen member, giving several short strokes.

Yuuri didn’t say anything just took Wolfram into his mouth. 

“Shit!” Wolfram jerked, the wardrobe in front of his eyes starting to swim. He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip. He hadn’t expected Yuuri return the favor so fast but his miscalculation was so unbelievably pleasant and earth-shattering right now that he was very glad he had been wrong.

Wolfram was loud – that Yuuri marked for later. He couldn’t tell if he had been vocal when Wolfram had done this to him, but Wolfram surely was being. He wasn’t sure if he really would have been that bold other time to give a blowjob, but right now the scents, pheromones, hormones and excitement had his head clouded, so he didn’t even hesitate before taking Wolfram’s penis into his mouth.

Yuuri wasn’t all that sure what he was doing but he decided that the friction, his attempts and excitement should do the thing. And he was right – after a minute Wolfram’s hand pushed him away and he came hard, his mouth locked in a big “O”. 

Yuuri was watching Wolfram’s heaving chest while Wolfram was trying to get his breath back. Finally, the blond pulled himself up. Still panting, he leaned on Yuuri’s shoulder heavily.

“Why did you push me away?”

Confused and still panting Wolfram raised his head. “Huh?”

“Well, you had swallowed…” Yuuri blushed lightly.

“Oh. It doesn’t taste good.”

Wolfram’s brow quirked up as Yuuri laughed loudly. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll swallow next time.” Yuuri giggled at Wolfram’s facial expression. “It did feel good, you know.” He grinned again.

Wolfram just rolled his eyes. “I think we need to shower…” he said after looking at the mess on his stomach. “Yuu…!” he gasped as suddenly Yuuri’s tongue flicked over his stomach.

“Umm… I don’t think it’s that bad…” Yuuri shrugged, getting up from the bed. He grabbed a sheet off the bed and wrapped it around himself.

“Gods, I created a nymphomaniac…” Wolfram muttered, following Yuuri. He looked around and took one of the yesterday discarded T-shirts. 

Yuuri turned around to look at Wolfram who was pulling the T-shirt over his head. He chuckled, “I'm a sixteen-year-old boy. I don't know about your age, but I'm supposed to be a nymphomaniac…you yourself said that.” He grinned at Wolfram who just shook his head and yawned.

“Go take a shower, I’ll find something to wear for us. Gotta wash the clothes today,” Yuuri said, looking at the soiled bed and then giving a look at the sheet he had wrapped around himself. Frowning, he let the sheet drop and looked around for the other T-shirt.

Wolfram went downstairs and soon the running water was heard. Meanwhile, Yuuri started ransacking the wardrobe in his room. After finding some decent clothes for them both he went downstairs. Knocked softly, opened the bathroom door and went inside. Wolfram was standing under the spray of water, soaping himself with a sponge. Yuuri watched Wolfram’s back for some time then, realizing that his ogling would lead in him wanting to join Wolfram under that shower, lowered his eyes and came closer.

“Here,” Yuuri put a new set of clothes onto the washing-machine that was standing near the bathtub. He opened a small door to look inside the washing-machine where the damp clothes from yesterday were still bundled. 

“Yuuri!”

Startled, Yuuri raised his head just in time to see a bar of soap flying before it struck him square between the eyes, making him fall back.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Wolfram yelled, pulling the shower-curtain closer and wrapping himself into it. He glared at disoriented Yuuri who was rubbing his forehead. “Normal people knock on the door, you know!”

“I did!” Yuuri glared back. “It’s not my fault you didn’t hear!”

“You had to wait for me to answer, then!”

“For god’s sake, Wolfram,” Yuuri sighed, rubbing his forehead again. “I don’t think I can see something new.” He pointed at the shower-curtain with his hand. He couldn’t believe that Wolfram was being shy now. The guy was unbelievably daring the entire time when they were the engaged couple only technically, and now decided to act shyly!

“It’s not about that! It’s about privacy! What if I had been doing something?!”

“I sure as hell would have liked to see that…” Yuuri grinned at Wolfram.

“Yuuri!” Wolfram spluttered in indignation.

“Okay,” Yuuri raised his hands, capitulating. “Point taken. I’ll just take the clothes to hang them out.” Then he remembered. “Use this medicine once again,” he said after taking the same bottle Wolfram had used earlier from the bathroom cabinet. He approached Wolfram and held out the bottle for him. Wolfram snatched the bottle with his free hand and continued to stare at Yuuri insistently.

Wolfram waited until Yuuri left the bathroom then disentangled himself from the wet shower-curtain. Muttering under his breath, he unscrewed the bottle and poured the stinky liquid onto his palm. 

When Wolfram finished washing, Yuuri only started heating up the food his mother left for them. While waiting for the microwave to stop humming, he finished making tea then seated Wolfram in the kitchen and he himself went into the bathroom.

Wolfram switched the TV on but his heart wasn’t there. Absentmindedly, he picked on the food Yuuri had heated up. It still seemed like he’d be dreaming. He felt lightheaded. He had been trying to win Yuuri for a long time and when it finally happened, even if he was unbelievably happy, it had also left him with a scary feeling of surrealism. What if…? Wolfram shook his head, cursing under his breath softly – he was acting like a mindless woman!

Soon after he finished nibbling on his breakfast, Yuuri came back. He glanced at Wolfram’s empty plate and sat down to have breakfast himself. Wolfram could feel the stench wafting from Yuuri – Yuuri must have also used that medicine of his for lice. It was silent while Yuuri was eating his breakfast. It was nothing unusual for they had never conversed much, but Wolfram could tell that there was something wrong with the atmosphere.

“What is it?”

Yuuri startled, rice spraying from the spoon back into his plate. He scooped the spoonful once again. “Well… Just promise you won’t get angry, okay?”

Wolfram cocked his head to the side. “First tell me what you’re going to tell and then I’ll see…”

“No,” Yuuri shook his head. “It won’t work that way. First promise and then…”

“Yuuri, we aren’t kids. Spit it out.”

Yuuri frowned at his plate. “You are damn stubborn.”

“And you are a wimp,” Wolfram shrugged. “Now tell me.”

Yuuri mixed the rice in his plate. “You know… You’re too experienced for one who has never been with anyone…”

“Huh?”

“You heard me,” Yuuri frowned at him.

“Oh, so now we get jealous!”

“I’m serious, Wolfram!”

Wolfram rolled his eyes. “There are books for that, moron.”

Yuuri stared at him. “Where the heck do you get books like that in Shin Makoku?”

“Gunter.”

Yuuri blinked. “Seriously? Gunter? That pervert… And where does he get them from?” 

“How the hell should I know? I just crooked several of them from under his bed.”

Yuuri chuckled then continued eating his meal. “I’m sorry I doubted you. I think I’ll get some stuff about this from the Net. It’s a vast space for things like that…”

“Huh?”

“Never mind. I’ll show it to you later.”

They finished breakfast, Yuuri left Wolfram washing the dishes and he himself went to gather all the dirty clothes, sorting out the white and light ones. They set up the washing-machine then went back into Yuuri’s room. Yuuri made up his bed then found some of his old course books and he and Wolfram spent one and a half an hour plunging and swimming in the depths of the language. Yuuri was surprised at how easily Wolfram learned things - when they finished, Wolfram was already able to read short syllables. He had learned only a few words so far but it was a great start. Excited, Yuuri wanted to continue further but Wolfram didn’t seem so enthusiastic, rather reluctant and Yuuri decided that it probably really was better not to overdo.

They went downstairs again and Yuuri went to get some juice for them. When he came back he found Wolfram half-lying on the sofa, his hand thrown over his face.

“Sleepy?” Yuuri asked, sitting down next to Wolfram. 

Wolfram removed his hand from his face to look at Yuuri. “Not really. Just…don’t feel that good.”

Yuuri was startled by pale Wolfram’s skin. He put his hand on Wolfram’s forehead. It was cool. He leaned away as suddenly Wolfram jumped from the sofa and ran to the bathroom. Soon the sounds of him vomiting were heard. Yuuri turned to look at the fridge then got up and went to throw away the rest of the food his mother had left for them. There were only a few dishes left and after a minute he was done.

Wolfram came back from the bathroom looking a bit better. He lay down again. Yuuri found a cover for him then went to make some tea. When after hustling for several minutes he came back, Wolfram was white like a sheet and a few drops of perspiration were running down his temple. Wolfram’s eyes were closed.

Unnerved, Yuuri put the tea onto the table and squatted next to the sofa. He pressed his hand to Wolfram’s forehead again. It was cold. Yuuri felt a gust of panic sweep over him; he was no good at treating illnesses.

“Wolfram… I…” Yuuri thought about calling their doctor. “Wolfram?” Anxious, Yuuri shook Wolfram when the blond didn’t answer. “Wolfram!” He was relieved when Wolfram’s eyes opened to look at him. But the look was fickle, Wolfram clearly having difficulties with concentration. There was something very, very wrong.

Yuuri ran to his mobile phone. He found the number and asked the family doctor to come. Although then he thought that he should probably call ambulance. Not knowing what to do, he found Shori’s number. He caught Shori on his way to them. Shori said that after ten minutes would be there.

Those ten minutes were the longest in Yuuri’s life. He could see that Wolfram’s state was quickly deteriorating but he couldn’t help any. Wolfram soon started shivering. Not knowing what to do, Yuuri got one more cover then just continued running from the sofa where Wolfram was lying to the door. 

Yuuri was so scared that in the end he just squatted onto the floor against Wolfram and stroked the blond locks and spread healing majutsu afraid to do something else. He was staring at the trembling Wolfram’s form in the bed and felt panic completely engulfing him. He could tell that there was something very wrong. How could this be happening at all?! – It was such a short span of time! Just several minutes ago everything was okay, Wolfram was laughing, just so little time ago they were enjoying the pleasures of oral sex and now… This simply couldn’t be real! This couldn’t be real!

Yuuri started at the doorbell then jumped to his feet and ran to the door.

Shori was aghast after seeing Wolfram. “Call the ambulance immediately!” he instructed Yuuri who started dealing the number as soon as told. 

Shori checked if Wolfram was conscious but the prince didn’t respond to anything he did. Wolfram didn’t stop shivering, even worse, his shivers had gotten worse and in addition his breathing became uneven and harsh. “How did it happen?” Shori turned around after his attempts to rouse Wolfram were futile. Yuuri had finished talking and was coming back to them.

“I think it’s food poisoning.” Yuuri plopped onto the armchair that was next to the sofa. He brushed over his hair with his shaking fingers. “He was nauseated and then… Well, the symptoms are similar.”

“Did you eat the same as he did?” Shori looked at Yuuri. His brother seemed to be hardly able to keep himself from panicky running around the room. Yuuri was biting on his lips, his hands trembling but he didn’t dare touch Wolfram.

Yuuri nodded quickly. “But I feel perfectly fine.” 

“Have you tried the healing majutsu?”

“Yes, but it’s not effective and for some reason it seems that it hurts him,” Yuuri said.

“Hurts him?” Shori blinked. “Healing majutsu can’t hurt…” Suddenly, he tensed. “Yuuri, did you two have sex?”

Yuuri reeled back into the armchair in that unexpectedness. “Why the hell are you asking me that?!” he spat after several seconds. “Wolfram might be dying and you’re asking me if we had sex?!” he shouted hysterically, jumping to his feet, his majutsu spinning out of control.

“Calm the fuck down!” Shori pushed him roughly back into the armchair. “It’s very important! So did you two have sex or some similar activity? Did your sperm touch him in any way?”

“Whaaa…?” Confused and angered Yuuri stared at Shori. His wide eyes searched his brother’s face as if for affirmation that Shori indeed was talking about it. “I don’t fucking understand what you want!” finally Yuuri yelled.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Shori cursed. “I’ll kill that Gunter of yours when I visit Shin Makoku next time! There’s one thing you seem not to know about Mazoku,” Shori said then. “During the intercourse, the Mazoku, so to speak, swap their power. Originally, it was intended to protect a weaker female by giving her a boost of power but it works both ways. So did you two kiss too much or exchange liquids in any other way?” Shori came back t the point, not explaining any further.

Yuuri stared at Shori, frowning. “I didn’t understand a thing,” he said finally. “But yes, he swallowed.”

“Swallowed…?” Shori’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Oh… Oh, crap.” Immediately, he squatted down onto the floor and pressed his hands on both sides of Wolfram’s head. “But you said he vomited, so in that case his system got rid of most of it…” he mused. “I’ll allow him to use his power on Earth. Hopefully it will allow him to discharge it. Do I have your permission?” He turned to Yuuri.

“I have not a clue what you’re talking about, but if you know how to make him feel better, do it!”

Shori nodded, pressed his palms to Wolfram’s head firmer and closed his eyes. “Wolfram probably was sure that because he wasn’t allowed to use his fire element on Earth anyway, your power wouldn’t have any effect on him. He missed the point that it doesn’t depend on him, only on you - your power isn’t forbidden from acting on Earth and now Wolfram has gotten plenty of it and he has no contract with the other three elements and the power doesn’t listen to him, it wants out and Wolfram has no permission to even try to control it nor at least knows how to summon water, earth or air…”

Yuuri was appalled when suddenly Wolfram’s body jerked and he winced. “Shori…” Yuuri didn’t know what he wanted to say but he could see that Wolfram was hurting and when Shori continued doing that something it became only worse – Wolfram started moaning in pain and tossing on the sofa only Shori’s hands keeping him in place.

Constrained with fear, Yuuri watched Shori trying to talk to Wolfram but Wolfram didn’t react to Shori, his pain filled groans increasing. To his horror, Yuuri noticed a thin trail of blood leave Wolfram’s mouth. 

Shori turned to Yuuri. “I allowed him to use his power but he’s not able to control yours.” He got up from the floor. “It’s a too big strain for a body unused to such amount of unfamiliar power. Your powers are calling on your four elements and Wolfram only knows how to use that one of fire, all other three are tearing him up.”

Shori turned back to look at Wolfram who was wincing, his breathing having turned into harsh pants. “I can’t help him any further – he doesn’t answer to me or my tries to reach him. He has to siphon those three powers off to lessen the pressure on his body or he’ll die.” Shori moved away from the sofa to leave enough place for Yuuri.

Yuuri shook his head, not really understanding much of it. “Then…what do I have to do?”

Shori racked over his hair nervously. “I don’t know. Just… If he regains consciousness… You have to talk him into using all that power up, but he doesn’t even know how to use it to summon the elements, so… I’m afraid we can’t really do anything…” Shori said, avoiding looking his brother into the eyes.

Yuuri was afraid to even touch Wolfram not to cause him any more pain. But he had to do something, even if he didn’t know what it was exactly. He had no options here. He had to act.

Shori was surprised when suddenly Yuuri scooped thrashing Wolfram into his arms and lifted him easily off the sofa. His brother started carrying Wolfram towards the glass door that was leading into the garden while whispering something into Wolfram’s ear. He didn’t hear what Yuuri was saying but Wolfram’s pain filled groans lessened. Maybe Yuuri’s voice was enough to influence Wolfram.

Shori followed Yuuri outside into the garden where his brother squatted down to the ground. Wolfram’s lower was half resting on the grass while Wolfram’s head and most of his back were in Yuuri’s embrace.

Shori turned his head to the side where the wailing sirens of ambulance were heard then looked back at the pair. Yuuri was saying something to Wolfram. The blonde’s eyes were open but unfocused and skidding all over Yuuri’s face and the sky. Shori turned back in the direction he could hear the siren coming from. Right now, if anyone could help Wolfram, it was Yuuri.

Yuuri could hear the siren and then could hear his brother saying something then something happened but he didn’t really know what it was nor he cared. All he cared about was Wolfram. He was unbelievably glad when Wolfram had reacted to his voice. He doubted that Wolfram could grasp his surroundings or what was happening around him but it was good enough. Even if in a lot of pain, Wolfram was still at least half-conscious and he could reach him and this was well enough.

“Let’s start with water, okay?” Yuuri muttered, stroking Wolfram’s hair softly. Yuuri closed his eyes, exhaling. “Listen to my voice, listen and follow.” Just as Shori said – he could feel his own powers in Wolfram’s body. They weren’t mighty, only the shadow of his real power, but to one not being able to control them they were deadly. All four of them were already mingling with Wolfram’s essence and personality, but he was perfectly able to feel them and they were still responding to his touch to some extent, especially that of water. Yuuri could hardly track that one of fire element, Wolfram’s body probably used to the similar texture and having absorbed it already. But the other three were restless, tearing and screaming inside Wolfram. Wolfram had no contracts, had no experience with them and didn’t know how to use them.

“Feel how it’s rippling,” with his eyes closed, Yuuri continued stroking Wolfram’s hair. “It doesn’t want to hurt you; it’s as confused as you - it just wants out, wants to run as it always does. Let it. You can’t do anything else now. Feel the texture of it and listen to my voice, I’ll help you. Just listen to me.” 

Yuuri felt his own voice coming as if from far away now and he was feeling...weird. He didn’t know how but he was succeeding. The matrix that appeared when he realized he was able to contact his power inside Wolfram let him somehow reach and guide Wolfram. He could even tell the exact point when he and Wolfram reached each other, even if it happened in…he didn’t know in which world or parallel they found each other, he just knew that they did. The power now was serving as a medium for him and he could feel Wolfram, could feel how scared and confused he was. 

Not letting go of that soft rippling thread that was Wolfram, from all the flow of those powers raging in Wolfram he grasped the one they needed. “Accept it. It’s the same as your fire element – you just have to find the way it responds to you. Merge yourself with it, don’t be afraid to let go – I won’t let it do anything bad to you – it won’t erase your personality, even if it seems that it’s overflowing you, it is just whirling mindlessly... Just tap into it softly, touch it, feel it…” 

Yuuri called on his own power of water element and turned it into a tiny flow of power not summoning anything just letting it flow through Wolfram, to merge with the one storming inside Wolfram to calm it down. It seemed to work: at first the power backed up hissing and spitting indignantly, ready to strike back, but then the element recognized him as the one having the contract and subsided almost instantly.

“Feel it now.”

Yuuri felt the power rising again as Wolfram tried to touch it. Yuuri thought a moment before choosing to soothe it softly instead of simply repressing it with force. The power hissed at Wolfram’s touch and collected into a charged ball. 

Yuuri gasped in a sudden shock as his and Wolfram’s power were severed away and became two different entities not leaving him any possibilities to control that one inside of Wolfram. For several seconds, Yuuri sat reeling in panic but then he felt the ground shaking. 

Wolfram’s eyes suddenly snapped open and Yuuri whipped his head around when the hydrants in the street burst, water spraying all over the street.

“That’s right. Okay, do anything, whatever, experiment, but just siphon that power off,” Yuuri whispered. Wiping the blood off Wolfram’s face, he kissed Wolfram’s forehead, shaking in relief.

As Wolfram wasn’t emanating the power himself but only the one got from Yuuri, it flared up and then went out like a match. Yuuri was worried about the earth element and the one of wind, but those powers appeared to be much easier to deal with than water element – as Yuuri himself wasn’t able to skillfully control those and they were inferior to his controlled water element, the amount of powers he transferred into Wolfram was also only nominal. 

Wolfram was tired and still hurting but he dealt much quicker this time – as the elements were much less powerful, Wolfram not as much attuned with them as he forced them to submit to his will. Yuuri wasn’t sure if it was okay, but now he wasn’t going to protest. There was no way he could – he was too exhausted and too happy right now. Wolfram was okay. It was over. When Wolfram siphoned off the rest of excess of his powers, he just let it all go. 

Shori watched his brother’s back as Yuuri had turned into a simple teenager again who was not responsible for anyone’s life or entire world. He watched Yuuri crying and hiccupping in just experienced shock while his tears were falling on unconscious Wolfram. 

Shori approached Yuuri and wrapped his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “Oh, c’mon,” he tugged playfully. “You two will laugh at it after several days – it all happened just because he swallowed…”

TBC


	20. Part 20

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

Part 20

Wolfram blinked his eyes open. It took him several minutes to orient himself in the surroundings: he was in bed, someone – naturally Yuuri – was scooped behind him, he was still on Earth and it was morning. From the depths of his vague memories swam out yesterday’s events. He winced and hid his face in the pillow – he was ashamed of his own stupidity. If not for Yuuri breaking through the chaos and pain, he’d be dead by now. He could still hear that voice inside his head, the voice which like a silver thread held him above the haze and guided him back into life again. He owed Yuuri a big one.

Wolfram shifted to stretch his numbed arms and legs. He stifled a yawn then turned around to face Yuuri.

“How do you feel?” Yuuri rubbed his sleepy eyes.

“It’s okay. I’m fine,” Wolfram gave him a sheepish smile. “I suppose you worked a lot of healing majutsu on me or I’d be feeling really crappy right now otherwise, wouldn’t I?

“Yes, it was quite some. In the end, my head hurt like a bitch,” Yuuri nodded. “You know, I was actually thinking about leaving you like that, but Shori said that if I didn’t heal you, he would do it. The traitor.” Yuuri’s eyes turned stern. “Wolfram, if you ever do something stupid like this again, I’ll decapitate you. If you stay alive, that is.”

Wolfram squirmed uncomfortably. “I’m sorry. I really thought it wouldn’t work. I wasn’t able to use any power here, anyway… I didn’t think…”

Yuuri shook his head. “I didn’t understand much about all this stuff. All this “swapping of powers” is very confusing.”

Wolfram’s brows furrowed in puzzlement. “You….you mean you didn’t know?”

“Wolfram, if I had known, I wouldn’t have let you do it – you have almost killed yourself, moron!”

“I said I didn’t mean that!” Wolfram sat up in the bed, annoyed.

“Fine. Now explain everything normally to me that I wouldn’t let you do anything stupid next time,” Yuuri said, also sitting up.

A flash of emerald shot from under the thick circles of eyelashes at Yuuri, but Wolfram didn’t protest orally. “What do you want to know?”

“Just start from the very beginning. I remember that Shori said that originally it was supposed to be the protection for the weaker in the pair.” Yuuri deliberately didn’t say “female” but even then Wolfram glared at him.

“Sort of. The protection for the one who doesn’t have that much power as his or her partner.” Wolfram leaned on the headboard. He had noticed that Yuuri had undressed him, leaving him only in his boxers that actually also belonged to Yuuri. Wolfram tugged the cover onto himself. Yuuri let him and leaned next to him on the headboard so that their shoulders touched. Wolfram realized that by that small gesture Yuuri was trying to apologize for any unnecessary stress he had caused and that at the same time it was a message of affection. But it only made Wolfram feel even guiltier and angrier with himself for his idiotic mistake.

“It works both ways, the swapping. If we were in Shin Makoku, you would also have gotten some of my power. But I’m not sure who of us has more power in controlling fire element. I suppose it’s you who has more of it - even if I’m more skilled at controlling it.” Any other time he’d have emphasized that but he had accepted the fact that he had royally screwed up and Yuuri was the one to save his life, so he just bit his tongue. “So I’d probably end up being the one absorbing your power…”

Yuuri nodded. That much he could understand. “But how can it be that you can get the power and then use it even without the contract? I didn’t think it’s possible – one always has to make a contract first before being able to use one or another element…”

“In this case, you are the one having the contract and letting me borrow the power – whatever I do with that power is with your knowledge. While I’m summoning any of the elements, you are the one through whom the contact with them is established – if you are near me and want to forbid the contact – your elements will always listen to you instead of me. Although, after letting the other person use the same power he has contract with, you can’t take it back or forbid using it – it becomes a part of the person and the person will use that power until he exhausts it completely. For example, you can’t control your to me given power with which you summon your fire element. You’ve supplied me with more power and I’ll use it until it uses up without you managing to control it.”

Yuuri ruffled through his dark hair. “But I wasn’t really able to control that power in your body. The water element responded well, but I was damn glad that you’ve managed to deal with the rest of them on your own – they didn’t really listen to me.”

“It’s because I wasn’t allowed to use any of the elements on Earth. It was locked in my body and when it was finally freed, it was almost too late – they almost tore me apart, the damage my body and mental state sustained threw the entire process off. Besides…” Wolfram blushed and squirmed uncomfortably. “Actually no wielders of different elements ever swap so much power at once. It would have been almost as nasty as it was here if it had happened in Shin Makoku, only that you’d have been able to control the excess of power in my body and simply absorb it back or remove it.”

Yuuri observed Wolfram’s flushed face. “You mean we will have to be careful and stuff until you get used to controlling the other three elements?”

Wolfram nodded. “Yeah. Only the wielders of the same element or the ones whose power is hardly developed have no trouble with that.”

“But the swapped power is exhaustive?” Yuuri asked just to be sure. “Like rechargeable?”

Wolfram thought for a moment. “Rechargeable? Yes, one could say that.”

Yuuri smiled. “Then I think we’ll be recharging it constantly.” 

Wolfram spluttered. If that was Yuuri’s way to make the tension disappear then it really…worked. He felt himself respond to Yuuri’s smiling face, his own sheepish smile appearing.

“Gods, I’m so glad it everything ended up well,” Yuuri sighed, tugging Wolfram to him, wrapping his arms around Wolfram’s neck and laying his head on the blond’s shoulder. He inhaled Wolfram’s scent deeply. It was comforting, warm, young and distinctive, specific only to Wolfram. He had no idea what he would do if Wolfram died. Almost losing Wolfram had scared him out of his mind.

As if sensing Yuuri’s thoughts, the prince ruffled Yuuri’s messy hair. “I’m really sorry.”

XXXXX

After taking a shower they went into the kitchen. As Yuuri had thrown everything away there was no food left. There was one small dish with ramen but that was not enough for both of them. Yuuri rummaged through the fridge for some time further and then decided simply to order a pizza.

While waiting for pizza to arrive they made some sandwiches and tea and sat down. Through a brim of his steaming mug Yuuri watched Wolfram sipping on his own tea and wondered if their mornings would become like this from now on. It was strange a bit, really. It was not that he had never had breakfast together with Wolfram, actually there had been plenty of similar breakfasts but now it felt all different. Somehow… Yes, as he had told Wolfram, he wasn’t used to this. But he was unbelievably glad to have something like this.

Wolfram jumped in his seat again as there a doorbell rang through the rooms. This time he managed to do without spilling his tea. Yuuri got up and went to open the door. But instead of so awaited pizza he saw Murata’s grinning face.

“Hey.” Murata waved at him. He held out a bundle of clothes for Yuuri.

“Your Majesty.”

From the bundle that appeared to be two wrapped up coats, Yuuri’s eyes shifted to Murata’s side where Kyota was standing. Kyota was wearing something similar to Murata’s school uniform. It was a white shirt, dark green jacket and trousers of the same color. He was also wearing a black tie. 

“Hey,” Yuuri answered finally. Immediately, he felt that there was something off with Kyota, the man emanating such hostile vibes that they were almost choking. Kyota suddenly snuck right past him and Yuuri didn’t even have time to say anything or stop him.

“Wolfram!” Kyota shouted when he was already in the corridor. “Wolfram, are you here?”

“Kyota…?” Wolfram appeared from behind the corner.

Before Wolfram could make another step further he was grabbed in a fierce hug. 

“Gods, Wolfram,” almost faint with relief, Kyota pressed Wolfram’s head to his shoulder, “you scared me so much! Wolfram…” He kissed the blond back of the head. “I was so worried something has happened to you. I thought that you might have even died…” Shakily, he ran his hand through the thick locks. He knew he was crushing the life out of Wolfram but wasn’t able to let go. 

“It’s okay now, Kyota. It’s okay,” Wolfram raised his smiling eyes to look at his friend. “Nothing has happened to me.” 

“Oh, sweetheart…” Kyota pressed Wolfram to his chest again, strewing Wolfram’s head and face with grateful kisses and Wolfram could feel Kyota’s whole body trembling.

“I’m sorry for making you worry,” Wolfram smiled giving a sad smile, his fingers wringing Kyota’s arms reassuringly.

Kyota brushed a lock out of emerald eyes. His embrace loosened but then he frowned suddenly. Carefully, with the tip of his thumb, he touched the faint bruise under Wolfram’s eye. It was almost invisible already, but Kyota’s eye had caught up on it. “Now tell me who did this to you…”

A bit alarmed, Wolfram shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. It’s just…” He suddenly realized the same that Yuuri realized as soon as he had set his eyes on Kyota: Kyota knew. Wolfram immediately tensed.

Kyota’s burning eyes snapped to Yuuri who had been watching them with a quite displeased but at the same time disturbed look on his face. “Your Majesty, can I speak freely?”

Yuuri groaned mentally – he knew right away what was coming and Wolfram, trying to warn him, was shaking his head behind Kyota, his green eyes wide. It didn’t matter though – he wasn’t going to avoid Kyota. 

“How could you have left him alone in that shop, you pathetic excuse of a fiancé?!” Kyota hissed as soon as Yuuri nodded. “You know he doesn’t know the city and still you manage to lose him! And then you almost kill him! What did you force him to do?! What the hell did you tell him to do? Do you have an ounce of responsibility, you imbecile?! You can’t…!”

Kyota staggered back when Wolfram backhanded him in the face. The loud thud ran through the room, Yuuri gasping then both Kyota and Yuuri staring at Wolfram.

“Watch your words when you are talking to your King! What the hell are you implying here? I didn’t do anything I didn’t want!” Wolfram’s eyes flashed at Kyota with emerald fury and annoyance. He went to stand at Yuuri’s side. “I won’t let you insult his honor – if you wish to go on further, you’ll have to deal with me first.” 

Kyota watched Wolfram for some time, his right cheek burning and tingling. It hadn’t been a strong blow, it wasn’t meant to be strong - it wasn’t about it. Wolfram had just canceled all of his prepositions, making his choice to stay with Yuuri.

Kyota bowed his head against Wolfram. “I respect your choice, Your Highness,” Kyota steeled his voice to prevent it from trembling in hurt. “Your friendship is too important to me to ruin it – I’ll bear no grudge against you, Wolfram,” he gave a sad smile to Wolfram, at the same time glancing at Yuuri from the corner of his eye.

Yuuri held his breath at the flash of sapphire eyes directed at him – he had never seen so much hate and venom in one look. But he held the gaze and despite he was the first to lower his eyes from those dark blue pools filled with hatred, he knew he had won the war - Kyota wasn’t dangerous anymore.

Wolfram moved to the side when Kyota turned to the door. Not saying a word, Kyota passed him and was gone. Murata glanced at Kyota’s back then turned to look at Wolfram. 

“I wonder which of them is hurting more…” Murata muttered under his breath. “So I suppose we’ll be at my house. Call me after you decide what to do,” Murata said before going after Kyota.

For a long minute Yuuri stared at the door silently. He started as the doorbell rang again. Apprehensively, he went to open the door fully expecting Kyota punching his lamps to give his last message. But instead of that he met a delivery boy with a pizza in his hands.

Yuuri quickly found a tip and sent the boy off. Carrying the box in his hands he turned to Wolfram who was still standing at the door and leaning on the wall. “C’mon, let’s finally have breakfast.”

Wolfram gave a long look to the box Yuuri was holding then shook his head. “I’m not hungry.” With that he went upstairs. Yuuri’s eyes followed Wolfram until his back disappeared then Yuuri went into the kitchen-living-room and put the pizza onto the table. Several minutes passed while he was just sitting on the mauve sofa and staring at the white box then he got up and followed Wolfram.

Softly, without knocking, Yuuri opened the door; he knew that otherwise Wolfram would have probably sent him away. Wolfram was lying on his back in the bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his teeth biting on his lower lip.

Yuuri walked to the bed and sat down at Wolfram’s side. When the blond didn’t react, he lay down next to him. Wolfram turned to look at Yuuri, the green in his eyes shaking.

“He hates me now…” Wolfram whispered, shifting closer to Yuuri and snuggling to him. 

Yuuri felt hot wetness seep into his shirt and reach his skin. It occurred to him that he had seen Wolfram cry only one time – then, when Wolfram thought that he was leaving Shin Makoku for good.

Yuuri reached out to stroke the blond locks. The soft hair felt wonderful between his fingers. “No, he doesn’t. I’m the one he hates. It will be alright…” Yuuri wasn’t sure what more he could say or do. Wolfram’s tears felt hot against his skin and it hurt him to see Wolfram like that.

“I don’t… I don’t… He’s the only friend I have, Yuuri… Even if we spent much time separate…I have always been looking forward to…”

Yuuri was stroking Wolfram’s back soothingly while Wolfram was talking and hiccupping loudly. There was one thing that was bothering Yuuri. “I…I’m really an idiot for asking that right now but…are you sure you…” Yuuri squirmed uncomfortably and Wolfram raised his head to look at Yuuri’s face. Without a second thought, Yuuri wiped Wolfram’s tears away with his thumb. “Are you sure you chose right?”

Wolfram’s brows furrowed in surprise and confusion. “What do you mean?” Alarmed, he stared at Yuuri. “Are you regretting it now?! Yuuri?!” His green, watery eyes lit up with affright.

“No! No,” Yuuri shook his head. “But…when I watched you two… I’m afraid I can’t really give you… Kyota… He was right, you know – even it was mostly your own fault, because of my ignorance you have almost died. He really…is a strong personality… responsible, protective and…”

“…Patronizing, you mean?” Wolfram finished, shaking his head, a sad smile gracing his features. “That is exactly the reason why I can’t be with him. I told him not once that until he stops thinking about me as about a porcelain doll there is no future for us. Sometimes he treats me like one would treat a woman; many people do – just stare at me and see only my pretty face. I hate that. Can’t stand that. 

“You on the other hand…” Wolfram looked at Yuuri. “I want to feel like a man, Yuuri, and I do feel like one with you. And… When you said…” Wolfram blushed faintly, “…that you realized that I was more of a man than you were… You know, I’ll follow you to the end of the world for these words…”

Yuuri stared at Wolfram for several long seconds. “Oh…” he exhaled finally. It had never occurred to him that Wolfram had such big issues with that. “I…” Actually, he didn’t know what to say. So he just smiled and leaned in to kiss Wolfram.

XXXXX

Yuuri could see that Wolfram couldn’t wait to go back to Shin Makoku. Wolfram didn’t say anything to him, but he was squirming non-stop, walking around and not finding any place comfortable. He was a little sad that Wolfram didn’t seem to have gotten comfortable on Earth, but things were how they were. So in the end he decided not to wait for his parents to come back. He called Murata and said that they wanted to go back to Shin Makoku. He also said that he wanted to have a word with Murata.

Before Murata came, Yuuri had informed Shori about his plans to leave Earth. After twenty minutes Murata and Kyota were at the door, Yuuri let them in and led them into the living-room. Yuuri had been afraid of the unbearable atmosphere and cutting glares, but there was none of that. It seemed that Kyota had accepted Wolfram’s choice even if it was very hard for him to do. He was aware of Kyota and Wolfram avoiding meeting each other’s eyes. The two of them needed to talk and badly and he was going to even encourage that. 

“Murata, I want to have a word with you,” Yuuri said. He motioned for Murata to follow him. He noticed Wolfram giving him a bit surprised look. Kyota simply ignored him.

“So what did you want to say?” Murata asked as they were settling in Yuuri’s room comfortably. Murata chose a chair next to the table and Yuuri sat down onto the bed.

“How did Kyota know about everything that transpired on Earth?” Yuuri glared at him. “In future, I’ll ask you to keep your mouth shut about my personal affairs. Kyota has no need to know them.”

“Ah.” Murata shrugged nonchalantly. “Got it. But, first of all, it wasn’t me who told him – it was your brother. You see, before coming over to your house, we got a visit from Shori.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know – when we came to Earth, he was already waiting for us. I suppose he knew where we will appear. So he fetched us to the city and on the way informed me about everything what happened.” Murata’s voice grew serious. “Now between the two of us: he asked some advice – it seems yesterday was the first time he used some weird majutsu to control time in a chosen area and he was wondering about long lasting effects. He must have shifted time back or forward or simply created a gap and nobody noticed anything. I heard you had called an ambulance, so I suppose it came, saw nothing or found no one at home and went away. But don’t be surprised to get a bill for a false alarm later…

“Actually I’m surprised that your brother is that far gone in creating his own majutsu, especially such a complex one. Despite you are at least four times more powerful than him, you have a great deal to catch up… the idea of you and at the same time our kingdom being inferior to any of other kings doesn’t really settle well with me.

“Anyways, the two of us missed a small thing – we didn’t know that Kyota had taken that translating apparatus constructed by Annissina. In other words – he screwed us.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, don’t ever underestimate Kyota.”

Yuuri sighed. “Yes, that I already know. The two, Kyota and Wolfram, they are similar. They know what they want and it’s only a matter of time before they get it. I’m lucky that Wolfram is no less stubborn than Kyota.”

Murata watched him silently. “One day Wolfram will become your greatest weapon,” he said then. “You’ll be the shield and he’ll be the sword of the kingdom. Don’t let go of him and don’t give him any pretext to leave you. He and Kyota, they will become vital to you one day.”

Surprised, Yuuri frowned at Murata but Murata only shrugged not explaining anything. “Was there anything else you wanted to say?” Murata asked instead.

Yuuri frowned even more but then nodded only; sometimes he really believed those rumors that Murata was having visions about future. “I wanted to ask you to teach me how to open the gates between the worlds.”

Murata thought a moment. “Are you sure you are able to control your power?”

“Well, just tell me how to do it and then we’ll see.”

“Fine. We’ll start practicing that and other things in Shin Makoku. I don’t think you’d want to attract too much attention here, on Earth, do you?”

“No, I really don’t. I think they’d throw several anti-tank bombs after seeing me doing all that stuff…”

“Oh yeah. Or would lock you up and run those nasty tests on you! Or would try to use you as a weapon against the other country! Or…”

“Murata. You sound overly happy…”

“Oh. Do I?” Murata mocked. “Then it’s because Kyota has burnt my entire collection of porn!” He bristled. “The damn brat! It’s your fault that I had to drag him around with me! He had almost burnt the entire house and then told me to fuck off when I said I’d throw him into a dungeon! I’m gonna punish him!”

Yuuri only shrugged. “How come he burnt it? He can’t use his element on Earth.”

“Shori allowed him.”

“Why?!”

“He asked. For some reason it seems that your brother likes Kyota. Actually I saw them talking during your birthday…”

Yuuri only sighed. Kyota didn’t seem to have problems with handling the situation or to be scared of Earth as Wolfram was. He could see enraged Kyota unleashing his frustration on Murata’s precious magazines. Probably it pissed him off to see Murata leafing them calmly while Wolfram…

Yuuri groaned. This was giving him a headache. “Fine. I’ll buy you some magazines later.” Murata was someone he could always trust, always loyal to him and he could at least try to repay him, even if it was in a weird way. “Or better yet… Your mom is kinda strict, isn’t she? My parents won’t be at home for several more days – you can use my PC. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of pretty pics in the Internet.”

“Does your PC have a DVD recording drive?”

“Yup.”

Murata seemed to be content. “Lovely.” He nodded.

“But don’t get me any viruses.”

Murata rolled his eyes. “I can smell them a mile away.”

“Lucky you,” Yuuri sighed. “And me,” he added.

“So how long are we going to sit here?” Murata asked after three minutes of silence.

“Until Wolfram and Kyota solve it all between them.”

“Ah. Okay. So how was the sex?”

Yuuri choked on his saliva. “That’s not your business,” he said after regaining his breath. Even if Murata was someone he could trust, he preferred to leave some things buried.

“Oh, c’mon! Even if you almost killed him, there had to be some very pleasurable moments before that…”

“Murata, are you gay or something?”

“Gay?” Murata blinked. “You still are a kid,” he rolled his eyes. “One can always enjoy good sex no matter the orientation. So how was it? Did he let you take him or was it the opposite?”

Yuuri painted bright red. Sometimes he forgot that in reality Murata had the experience of several hundred years’ of man. It was only his body that was young. He glared at Murata. “My sexual life is none of your concern.”

“So he didn’t give you any… Aww…” Murata laughed and ducked the pillow Yuuri had thrown at him.

Yuuri frowned at him. He caught the pillow that Murata had thrown back at him and pushed it back behind his head. “We haven’t done that yet, not that it concerns you. Besides, I didn’t know we had to be more careful.”

“Yuuri, you do know about condoms, right? That way your sperm really wouldn’t get on him and there won’t be any trouble.”

Yuuri flushed red again. “Murata, is there anything that would make you shut up?”

Murata only grinned. “Only my own harem…”

“There’s no way you’re getting that!”

“For some reason I knew that His Majesty would say that…” Murata chuckled.

Yuuri shook his head and sighed. He knew that Murata was mostly teasing him but Murata’s sex overdrive was a bit worrying. Although, Wolfram had said that Murata had always been this way… Poor thing.

Murata walked over to the door and pressed his ear to it. “At least they are not shouting at each other…” he said after listening for several seconds. “Wait…” He frowned. “They aren’t shouting but they are quite noisy…” He turned to Yuuri. “Is that normal for Wolfram to pant like that?”

“I’ll decapitate you for your jokes,” Yuuri said seriously.

Murata sighed and walked back to sit down onto the same chair. “You are no fun,” he complained. “But aren’t you afraid that they might…get back together?”

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “They never were together in first place.” He shifted on the bed to get more comfortable then looked at the clock on the cabinet opposite him. Maybe he wouldn’t have been that sure, but after the recent conversation with Wolfram he was absolutely reassured that there was nothing he could be worried about. He shrugged. “If nothing happened between him and Kyota by this time, it’s highly unlikely that it will happen now.”

Murata leaned into the chair. “It’s more or less logical, but you should know that passion is such a thing that hardly allows itself to be controlled…”

“Murata, what are you trying to do? –To make me doubt Wolfram? I trust him and if you don’t stop it right now, I’ll tell him all about your words – I doubt you’ll have enough time to pray before he sends you to heaven or hell, depends on how big a pervert you are.” With a mild surprise Yuuri noticed that Murata squirmed but didn’t say anything more. Murata really was not so bold near Wolfram. Yuuri stifled a chuckle – Murata’s predictions were already turning against him.

They waited for ten minutes more then went downstairs. Wolfram and Kyota were sitting calmly at the kitchen table and sipping tea. Yuuri wondered which of them figured out how to make it. Yuuri cast an inquiring look at Wolfram. Wolfram gave him a feeble smile and nodded. Whatever happened between Wolfram and Kyota, it seemed that it was more or less fine.

Yuuri approached the table. “Murata said it’s snowing in Shin Makoku. We’ll have to take some warmer clothes. I arranged everything I had on the bed, just go and choose what you want.”

Unsure, Wolfram looked at Yuuri but then nodded and stood up, leaving Yuuri and Kyota at the table. Yuuri waited until Wolfram jogged upstairs then sighed and sat down opposite Kyota. Kyota’s sapphire eyes met his.

“Okay,” Yuuri started. “I perfectly realize that we’ll be rivals till the world ends or you fall in love with someone else, but I really don’t want that this rivalry would get in the way of your and Wolfram’s friendship. He really treasures it and it’s very important to him. You are free to visit him any time, but yes, if I smell some funny stuff, I’ll deal with you.”

The sapphire in Kyota’s eyes flashed dangerously, but then dimmed. “Fine,” he said. Yuuri waited for something more to come but Kyota lowered his eyes to his tea cup.

As that was everything that could be said, Yuuri stood up to make some tea for himself.

“Yuuri?”

“Umm?” Yuuri turned in the direction of Wolfram’s voice as after several minutes Wolfram jogged downstairs. Yuuri’s jaw abruptly hung open. He gaped at the white dress in Wolfram’s hands. “W-W…” he stuttered.

“Yuuri…” The green in Wolfram’s eyes was overflowing. “Yuuri…” he repeated again. “You didn’t say you liked wearing these kinds of things!”

“W…where did you find it?!” Yuuri managed finally.

“Yuuri, I understand that I might have confused you with that idiotic nightie of mine, but you…it’s a fucking wedding dress, Yuuri! A wedding dress!” Wolfram shouted.

“Wolfram, it’s…” Yuuri waved his hands in front of him, hoping Wolfram would let him explain but the blond was too agitated to even make a pause.

“Do you also like wearing women’s underwear?! Oh god, Yuuri…” Wolfram groaned, shaking the dress in his hand. “I didn’t even suspect… What are we going to do now?! Have you had that itch for long? I hope we can cure it and…” Then Wolfram’s eyes went wide again. “Or…or… It isn’t for me is it…? You really… You really think that I’d dress this thing?! Even…even if it’s for the wedding… Yuuri…” Wolfram hissed, his eyes narrowing to slits. “I’ll kill you first, got it? I’ll never ever dress in something like…” 

Yuuri paled at the look Wolfram was giving him. “Burn it,” he stuttered, realizing that Murata was right – Wolfram could really be scary sometimes. “Simply burn it.”

The rest of Wolfram’s tirade stuck. “Huh?”

“Wolfram, it was my mother’s idea – she gave it to me for my birthday. My mom has always been dressing me as a girl. It lasted until I started going to school. It’s my mom who has issues with that, not me. You can be calm – I don’t like dresses.” Yuuri startled as the dress flared up suddenly. He sighed at Wolfram’s malevolent but quite happy face. At least Wolfram was easy to appease and the topic was dropped safely.

After they had finally gathered all of their warmer clothing into the bags, barefooted like they all, Yuuri led them all into the garden, to the small children pool. Yuuri put the key under the colorfully painted stone next to the sliding door for Shori to find. Stripped to their underwear, giving each other amused looks and, Murata and Yuuri pressing two plastic bags to their chests, they climbed into the tiny pool.

Murata closed his eyes and concentrated. The three pairs of eyes set on Murata. Nothing was happening. Yuuri wiggled his toes in the water then shifted from one foot to another, sending waves over the diminutive pool. He already wanted to ask Murata what he was tarrying for but then the air around them rippled and then they were swallowed in a portal.

The next second Yuuri found himself deep in ice-cold waters. His body went into shock, his right leg cramping immediately, pain lashing through him. Yuuri panicked. Forgetting all about the bag with clothes, he coughed and splashed in the freezing water, waving his hands about. When his lungs started to burn and seemed to scream from the lack of oxygen, he was beyond any reasoning. He thrashed and struggled to where he thought was the surface then finally broke through. Coughing his head off, water running down his nose and mouth, he floated above. 

His eyes still blurry with water, he looked around for others. The freezing surface of the waters was calm, spreading to all sides as far as his eyes could see in the fleeting light of day. Finally starting to think clearly, he created an air bubble around himself then started gradually lowering the water level around the area he was at. Finally, sucking the last drops out of the sand, he dispersed the air bubble and set his foot onto the stony bottom where several fish and plants were drying now. He raised his head to look at the water rippling above him.

“Wolfram!?” Yuuri shouted. Immediately he noticed that his voice coming through his in cold chattering teeth was not that louder than a whisper. He thought about summoning his fire element to warm up but as he wasn’t that sure that he would be able to control his fire element while having to maintain the low sea level around him, refused the thought. 

“Murata? Kyota! Where are you?!” Yuuri shouted again. The sand and stones slipping under his bare feet, he moved forward slowly. His leg still hurt but he didn’t have time to be concerned. He walked until he saw something moving a bit farther on the left. A mop of blond hair soon was seen.

“Wolfram!” Yuuri shouted, immensely relieved to see the blond. He waved with his hands. “Wolfram! Over here!” 

When Wolfram started running towards him, Yuuri once again was relieved to see that it seemed that nothing had happened to the blond. 

“Come here,” Wolfram tugged Yuuri to himself as soon as he ran up to Yuuri. Shivering in cold, his lips blue, Yuuri leaned into Wolfram as the blond summoned his fire element. 

“I can’t find anyone,” Yuuri grunted out. “We have to…”

Wolfram shook his head, cutting him off, “You are not going anywhere in the state that you are in,” his voice was serious and left no place for protesting. “I won’t risk you fainting and that water collapsing on us again.” Wolfram threw the plastic bag to the ground. “Here, dress in these later. Found it floating about.”

Yuuri only nodded, shivering against Wolfram’s hot body, the fire rising around them but only warming instead of burning. Yuuri sighed and buried his forehead in Wolfram’s shoulder crook as the blond wrapped his arms around him to keep him warm. 

Wolfram tightened his hold around him. He sighed, musing. “Well, Kyota is undoubtedly fine. I just hope he’s with Great Sage, for that man is hopeless…”

Yuuri was still not used to Wolfram making vital calculations and taking decisions in critical situations and was a bit thrown off once again; they just showed Yuuri that, exactly as Wolfram had said earlier, there still was a gap between them after all. He had given some thought and doubted he’d have ever managed to come back if it was him left at that shop instead of Wolfram. In addition to that Wolfram managed to come back only in several hours. 

“You are rather confident of Kyota…” Yuuri muttered. Although, he knew that Kyota was made of tough stuff.

“If I’m okay, he is double as okay,” Wolfram confirmed. He let go of Yuuri. “Dress now and we’ll go look for others.”

With his stiff with cold fingers Yuuri fumbled with the bag. When Wolfram wordlessly took the bag from Yuuri he let him and simply watched Wolfram take the clothes out. He flung the shirt on that Wolfram reached for him from the bag then pulled on the sweatpants and put on the coat. Then he tried to button his shirt but his trembling fingers didn’t listen to him.

“Let me,” Wolfram brushed Yuuri’s hands off and buttoned the shirt himself. Then he buttoned the coat. Wolfram tugged Yuuri to lean at his side, flared the fire up and they went forward.

After a minute of walking, they saw an unclear blob in the distance. Both boys starting to run, Wolfram recognized Kyota’s hair-color. Kyota was hunching over something, his back moving rhythmically. When Yuuri and Wolfram approached, it appeared that Kyota was straddling an unconscious Murata and doing artificial respiration.

Without a word, Wolfram quickly circled the two and kneeled at Murata’s head. Kyota moved down Murata’s body and as soon as Wolfram leaned down to pinch Murata’s nose and breathed into Murata’s mouth, he pushed five times on Murata’s chest to stimulate the heart.

“You okay?” Kyota asked Wolfram while working.

“Yes,” Wolfram nodded before leaning down to breathe in again.

“His Majesty?”

“…Is fine,” Wolfram nodded. He splayed his other hand on Murata’s chest and a soft green glow was seen. “Although, he was within a hair of hypothermia.” He leaned down to breathe in again. 

Kyota’s eyes narrowed at the green light that was seeping from Wolfram’s fingers. Although he knew it was necessary, he hated this manifestation of Yuuri’s powers in Wolfram’s body. He kept silent as Yuuri, after seeing and feeling Wolfram starting to use healing majutsu, finally came round and kneeled at Murata’s side intending to help Wolfram.

“No,” Wolfram smacked Yuuri away. “If you lose control over the sea, we will all die.” He lowered his head again but then raised it as Murata suddenly began coughing. Kyota slid off Murata and helped Wolfram to turn him to the side.

A minute later, Kyota summoned his fire element and pulled still coughing Murata to his feet. He motioned with his head at Yuuri and Wolfram only nodded wordlessly. He stood up and went to Yuuri, tugging him close and flaring his power up, fire flashing brightly around him.

Yuuri shrugged his coat off, leaving only his shirt on and helped Kyota to put it on Murata then hurried back to Wolfram to warm up.

“It would be okay if you could tell where the water ends…” Wolfram muttered throwing his arm over Yuuri’s shoulders to keep him warm. “Otherwise we might walk blindly for eternity here until we cross the damn sea… But you get dizzy while using several elements at once… And I don’t have enough of your power to even summon earth element…”

Yuuri rubbed his forehead. “I think I can try using the same water element to feel for the end of this water body.”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to control it?” Wolfram asked.

“No.”

Wolfram turned his head to Kyota, who stood farther, listening to their conversation. The two of them were a well working team and he knew that Kyota was always the one having the best solutions. 

“Your Majesty, how long will you be able to keep water out?” Kyota asked.

Yuuri thought for a moment. “Well, I think I can do it for as long as we need. A day? Until I fall asleep? And what if we are in the middle of a sea? It will take weeks to get out from here…”

Kyota nodded. “A tough one,” he sighed. “It’s whether we risk it now or risk it later.”

Wolfram looked around in the stony, green grass and fish scattered field and his bare feet then raised his head to look at the water bubbling above them. “Let’s vote – who is for moving forward?” 

There was none.

“Who is for using water element to determine the borders of the sea?”

Three hands rose into the air, Murata still half-conscious, bundled up in Yuuri’s coat and caught in a coughing fit, not interested in surroundings.

Yuuri nodded. He breathed in deeply several times then closed his eyes. He felt Wolfram squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. He was anxious – he was responsible for four lives right now and if he screwed up, they would all die. But Wolfram beside him was emanating professional calmness and it also was seeping into him and helped him to concentrate.

Wolfram’s eyes fell on Yuuri’s lengthening hair that spread over his shoulders. It happened rarely now, the change, but it seemed that while using much power he still went through it. It puzzled Wolfram – the original king didn’t influence Yuuri anymore, so he couldn’t understand that.

Seconds were passing slowly while Yuuri was working with his water element. Then his hair started shortening again and his eyes opened. He scratched the back of his head then looked at Wolfram.

“We all are idiots,” he said. “We are one kilometer away from the shore…”

“No…seriously…” Murata snickered. “We are gonna have a long talk, Your Majesty. About that power that I felt trying to copy me while I was summoning the portal…”

“Ehh…” Yuuri shifted uncomfortably. “I just… I really didn’t think it would matter any… Guys, I’m really… I’m sorry… I just wanted to learn it. I really…”

“Huh?” Wolfram blinked, smacking Yuuri on his head to shut him up; it didn’t matter now anyway. Any other time he’d have tried to strangle Yuuri for that, but after almost stupidly dying on Earth, all he could do was keep his mouth shut. “But I couldn’t see land anywhere!”

“It’s because there’s snow everywhere,” Kyota caught up, not interested in Murata and Yuuri’s banter, even if he was angry after realizing that it was Yuuri who had almost killed them all. Yuuri’s lame excuses didn’t interest him either. “Which way is it?”

Yuuri pointed at his left. “There.”

“Let’s go.” Kyota lifted Murata easily off the ground and started carrying him in the direction Yuuri pointed.

“I’ll change you later,” Wolfram said to Kyota’s back.

“No need. He’s light,” Kyota said not turning around.

“I’ll see what you will think after several minutes,” Wolfram chuckled. 

“Let go of me!” Murata glared up at Kyota’s sapphire eyes.

“I don’t think the Great Sage can catch up with us yet. Besides, the maids would be very sad if you froze off your wand of intelligence…”

“Huh?” Wolfram’s confused eyes locked on half-naked Murata in Kyota’s arms. What was that about maids? Murata painted bright red and stopped squirming instantly. But neither Kyota nor Murata explained anything. Wolfram looked at Yuuri, but Yuuri only shook his head.

TBC


	21. Part 21

**Working out the Paradox**

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by Redmarshin

Part 21

After walking for some time, Yuuri working the water out of their way, they finally reached the shore and left the sea. There was knee-deep snow all around them. It sizzled and melted when Wolfram’s and Kyota’s fields of fire touched it. This time Yuuri also summoned his fire element and worked on melting the snow in front of them. Yuuri was the only one wearing boots, Kyota and Wolfram splashed their way through the melting snow and mud barefooted.

“Well, we are wet again, but at least it’s warm,” Yuuri sighed, snuggling even closer to Wolfram as they started walking. As he didn’t use his water element anymore, he thought about using his fire element to warm up too, but then decided that he would probably end up burning his coat again. Wolfram was really much better at fire element than him. Besides, he simply liked the way they were walking now. “I wish you’d also carry me.” Yuuri grinned while motioning at Kyota’s back where Murata’s dangling legs could be seen from one side.

“Well, I could break your leg and then carry you…”

Yuuri chuckled. “I knew you would say that.” He was still pleasantly surprised and content that Wolfram was able to use and modify his water element so fast. He wasn’t very sure why but he had liked that; somehow that had worked on his manly ego: he was able to share his power with Wolfram and Wolfram was able to use it. Especially he had liked the way he could share his power.

After walking for some more time, Kyota lowered Murata to his feet. His arms started hurting from carrying him, besides, Murata had completely recovered.

“I wonder for how long we are going to wander here. It’s darkening,” Wolfram shouted to Kyota. “We should find some lee then get some sleep while taking shifts. I could be the first to keep us all warm.”

Kyota nodded. “Okay.”

“There probably won’t be any need,” Yuuri shook his head. “I can sense something moving several kilometers away. As there are more than ten large moving objects, I suppose those are people.”

“I really hope so,” Wolfram muttered. He didn’t want to complain but he was getting tired. He hadn’t fully recovered from the recent nuisance with power swapping and keeping his fire element over him and Yuuri was difficult, especially having in mind that fire element had never cooperated well with people wielding water element. Right now he had to be concentrated that it simply didn’t decide to burn Yuuri on its own. That could be troublesome. If they had to keep going further, he’d have to ask Kyota trade places.

It hadn’t been that bad at all earlier, but after that silly accident, his element couldn’t stand Yuuri, the power inside him hissing and bubbling as soon as Yuuri approached. Wolfram was sure that this had to do with Yuuri’s water element being the one almost killing him. Although, the blond was also sure that it would pass after several weeks – the elements didn’t have long memories and while using the power up, all bad and good imprinting also disappeared.

When they finally reached the spot Yuuri had been talking about, it was completely dark, Wolfram and Kyota lighting like big torches in the dark surroundings. It was a farmhouse. There were several candles sparkling in the windows. 

After knocking on the door, several faces pressed to the windows to look at them. Yuuri could only imagine how they must look to those people: four of them, two almost naked guys, two summoned fire elements. He hoped that they were in territory where Mazoku were not enemies.

“They won’t let us in. I wouldn’t,” Murata said. 

“If you were afraid that we’d burn the house down, then you would,” Kyota told him. Murata gave him a silent look; Kyota was right.

Then the sound of the door being unbolted was heard and soon a man appeared in the doorway. In the feeble light of Wolfram’s and Kyota’s summoned fire elements Yuuri could see that the man was Mazoku. He exhaled relieved – he wanted no complications.

“Good evening. We…”

“Your Majesty!” the man fell onto his knees.

“Crap,” Yuuri squirmed uncomfortably. “Get up, get up!”

“Then I suppose bed and breakfast is arranged?” Kyota flashed his grin at the man who had stood up.

“Yes, of course!” The man nodded. 

“What is it?” Yuuri asked as the man moved out of the door to let them pass but seemed tense.

Kyota pointed at the windows that were swarming with children. “I suppose I was too forward with those beds…”

Yuuri suddenly felt uncomfortable while following the man into the house. “It’s just for one night… Anything would be okay.” He stopped at the sight of six children scattered around the room, giving them curious looks. The farmer’s wife stood up and bowed. Yuuri presumed that the two of them had seen him in one of the parades.

The four of them silently observed the scanty room. It was dark, stuffy, there were only four beds.

“Hey, Wolfram,” Kyota flung his arm around the startled blond’s shoulders, “let’s roll around on some fresh hay in the shed.”

“Kyota, sweetheart,” Wolfram elbowed the man in the stomach making him double over. “The idea is good, but the only one I’m going to roll about with is Yuuri.”

“Total knockout,” Kyota gasped out, rubbing his stomach.

Yuuri sniggered, covering his mouth with his hand. He knew the two of them were only fooling around but there was also some nice feeling in his gut. A possessive feeling.

“Yes, we can use the shed or something…” Yuuri smiled at the farmer.

“Ehhh…” the man drawled. “There’s no way Your Majesty can sleep there! It will be cold and…”

“We’ll just warm up with the fire element and…”

“Yuuri, I won’t risk setting the shed on fire,” Wolfram cut in rather sternly. “And you have hardly any control over it whatsoever.”

“Ah. Right…”

Kyota shrugged. He smiled at the farmer. “Well, we’ll just have to do with some covers then.”

“I promise to refund everything and even more,” Yuuri nodded.

“No, we’ll just go to sleep in the shed ourselves and…” 

Yuuri waved off that dismissively not wishing to hear that any further. He turned to the woman who was already looking for linen and covers, the door to the wardrobe widely open the fabric rustling.

They talked with the people for some time more until everything was prepared then went outside, back into the winter.

Yuuri stared at the ceiling in the darkness after they lay down in the shed. It was cold, the temperature being not that higher than that outside. He could hear Kyota and Murata swishing around in the hay, a bit farther from where he and Wolfram had settled. 

“I’m hungry…” Yuuri sighed finally.

“Umm… Me too,” Wolfram said after a pause. He snuggled closer to Yuuri’s side, his head touching Yuuri’s shoulder where the puffy coat engulfed his face. “But I didn’t really have enough courage to ask anything more from them…”

“Yeah…” Yuuri drawled, leaning back into Wolfram, trying to share the body heat. Then he shifted turning over to overlie Wolfram, his head on the blond’s chest, his right arm thrown over his thick coated waist. “It will be warmer this way…”

“Sure.” Wolfram grinned in the darkness.

Yuuri chuckled and shifted to get more comfortable, exhaling softly. He felt happy somehow, the scene from that time when Wolfram had kept him warm all night long repeating in his head. Even if he was not that warm right now, even if he had almost killed them all with that ignorant way of his while trying to copy Murata, he was simply happy. He was beside Wolfram, the two of them fitting perfectly in both senses. 

He was surrounded by people he trusted. Even Kyota. He knew the man would not betray him. There were people who had told him that Kyota wouldn’t ever give up on Wolfram. That was probably true. But there was another thing – as long as Wolfram was with him on his own will, Kyota wouldn’t interfere. He was absolutely sure of that. Wolfram had chosen and he could see that Kyota was a man enough to respect his choice. Actually from Kyota’s recent behavior he could see that the man was hurting but was trying to let it go. Kyota was a very interesting guy, similar to Wolfram, although had even sharper edges than Wolfram, and if not for Wolfram standing between them, they would probably be close friends. But now this triangle barely left place for decent communication between them.

Yuuri was glad he was able to appreciate what he had now. Surrounded by people he could trust, being in love, enjoying those simple glimpses, those gazes and touches Wolfram gave him. He couldn’t believe that some time ago he was frightened by them. It was just…weird to think about that now. At first he had been in denial, then he had been afraid and freaked out and then he had been dubious. He had been blind and not open with himself. 

He knew how to appreciate what he had. He was very young, true, but those almost no way out and near death situations he had been in taught him much. Shori had been right - while waiting for some imaginative closeness, some extraterrestrial love, he almost missed the one he had under his nose.

He had never imagined that his first sexual contact would be with a male - he would have been weirded out, just as he had been when he felt Wolfram’s attention for the first time. He really didn’t think he could be aroused by another male touching him, kissing him, petting him and then…

Yuuri shifted, his burning face rubbing against Wolfram’s coat. Wolfram was sleeping already, his soft even breathing heard above his head. Listening to it, Yuuri closed his eyes again. The affright that Wolfram gave him almost dying had scared him mindlessly. This was one of those moments when he understood that Wolfram was dearer to him than he realized. Then, during the battle, when Wolfram got shot with an arrow, then was the first time that shook him to the core. Moments like those, step by step, took him where he was now. It was wonderful to love and be loved.

XXXXX

Yuuri jerked out of his sleep, wincing at the pain in his right leg. There was some scratching heard near him. Dazed, Yuuri blinked his eyes. It was morning already, the light penetrating into the shed. Wolfram was lying slantwise on the covers, Wolfram’s feet rammed into his thigh. Yuuri could feel a bruise forming.

Wolfram shifted again, turning onto his left side, muttering something under his breath. Yuuri sighed and reached out for Wolfram’s hand to pull him up. There were some things that never changed.

“Yuu… Yuuri?” Wolfram muttered sleepily. “What…?”

“It’s okay, sleep,” Yuuri shushed him.

Wolfram rubbed his eyes, snuggling closer to him. “I had a nightmare,” he murmured.

Yuuri ruffled the blond hair affectionately. “About what?”

Wolfram thought for a moment. “I don’t really remember…” He shook his head then. “I only know that someone was chasing me.”

“That was probably Kyota.”

Yuuri and Wolfram turned their heads to look at the two dark bundles farther.

“Ow!” Murata yelped. “That hurts, you know!”

“Shut your mouth, then,” Kyota snorted.

“It’s not enough that you have burnt my entire collection of porn, you are also beating me!”

“Poor innocent lamb!” Kyota snickered. “I don’t get why you need that porn with those three chicks anyway!”

“My libido is not your damn business!”

“As if I would ever care about it!”

“Hey,” Yuuri elbowed Wolfram, “I hear arrows flying…” He felt Wolfram startle.

Kyota’s head shot up. “What arrows?!”

“Those of Cupid…”

Murata snickered. Kyota sat up quickly, throwing the covers off. “Who the heck is that Cupid? What element does he wield?”

Winking conspiratorially, Yuuri held Wolfram down when he wanted to stand up. “That of love,” Yuuri nodded to himself.

“Huh?” Both Wolfram and Kyota looked at him.

“It’s not an element!” Wolfram protested immediately.

Yuuri was smiling to himself while Murata was explaining the whole thing for the two. He heard Kyota snorting and muttering under his breath then settling back down onto the covers.

“When hell freezes over,” Yuuri heard Murata mutter. Well, that was true, Yuuri knew that, but a little of humor wouldn’t hurt anyone. Wolfram had really liked it anyway – the blond was grinning, amused. 

Sighing contently, Yuuri wrapped his arm around Wolfram’s waist. A blond brow rose at him, then Yuuri was surprised to hear Wolfram’s soft laughter. 

“What’s so funny?”

Wolfram chuckled again then leaned to his ear to whisper, “It’s rather…unreal all this…”

“Umm?” Yuuri’s frowned not understanding. 

“As much as I chased after you, I have never imagined that you’d be so…cuddly.”

“Hah?!” Yuuri retracted his arm, flushing beet red. “I’m not…”

“Soft like a girl, aren’t you?” Wolfram’s hand snuck under Yuuri’s coat. “Cute and round…”

“Haaaaah…?” Yuuri’s eyes turned wide, his mouth open.

Wolfram burst out laughing at Yuuri’s facial expression. He leaned to give a quick peck to Yuuri’s lips. “Kidding, moron. It’s really nice,” he sighed softly, embracing dumbfounded Yuuri, “to have you care about me…”

Yuuri, still a little confused, stroked the soft blond locks. He had seen Wolfram getting this way several times, but it still unnerved him a little when the blond became like that. It always seemed to him that Wolfram was crying and laughing at the same time and he wasn’t really sure what to do then. Wolfram had many layers to him that one could notice only with time.

“I’ve always cared for you. I’ve just never realized how much…” Yuuri whispered.

“Moron…”

Yuuri smiled, tightening his embrace. Then his smile faltered. “I’m sorry for almost killing us all. I really didn’t think it would have such an impact and…”

“I know,” Wolfram nodded. “Everybody knows that you didn’t do that intentionally. Everyone also knows that you are quick to learn from your mistakes. So it’s pointless talking about it.”

Yuuri sighed, ruffling the blond hair. “Thanks. Really.” He wanted to kiss Wolfram so badly, but was uncomfortable because he was sure that his morning breath didn’t smell flowers. So he just gave into the impulse to nibble on the blond’s neck.

“C’mon, quit it you two or I’m gonna really jump Kyota,” Murata snickered after a minute.

“Huh? Fuck off, pervert!” Kyota snarled, moving away from Murata, to the very end of their covers.

“Ha! Look who’s talking! I heard… Mmmph!”

“One more word and I’m gonna choke you, Great Sage or not!”

Murata pried Kyota’s hand away from his mouth. “You really are pissing me off! I’m gonna have you punished!”

Kyota grinned at him. “Seriously? Let’s have a duel then!” He smashed his fist in his palm excitedly. “Choose your weapon.”

Murata’s face paled. “Crap.”

“He will tear you apart, Kyota…” Wolfram said. “Unless you quickly learn how to open the gate to Earth, you are dead.”

“The thought about Earth sounds appealing,” Murata muttered. He found it amusing that Wolfram was overestimating him. Murata pointed his finger at Kyota. “You, listen. My rank is higher than yours. If you keep pissing me off I’ll show you who the boss is.”

Kyota looked at him confused. “But I agreed to the duel…”

“…” 

“Great Sage is said to have unbelievable powers. I truly want to see them!” Kyota waved his hands about excitedly.

“Huh? He knows that and still...?” Yuuri cocked his head to his shoulder. “Wolfram, has your buddy always been like this?”

Wolfram nodded. “But he’s really good at fighting air element.”

“Well, no one is going to fight here,” Yuuri said standing up. “Not while I’m your king.”

“The king of the idiots…” 

Yuuri turned to glare at Wolfram, who was still sitting on the covers. “Then that also includes you.”

“Ehh… Sorry.” Wolfram scratched his blond head, feeling not that guilty at all.

XXXXX

After having sparse breakfast, the four of them left for Blood Pledge Castle. It appeared that they were one day of traveling away from it. They got some more clothes from the farmer, Wolfram and Kyota finally looking decent. It wasn’t that cold as it was the day before, the temperature being above zero.

The day was passing more or less normal, Kyota and Murata getting into several spats either because of Murata’s lost porn collection or Kyota wanting to try Murata’s powers out. After midday, they started recognizing the surroundings, the village that they met on their way visited not once.

“Yuuri?”

“Mmm?”

Wolfram shifted uneasy. “What does Shori think about this…whole thing? Was he angry? I got the impression that he doesn’t like the idea of me being with you.”

Yuuri ruffled through his hair taking his time to gather his thoughts. “Actually… He was the one trying to talk me into considering my feelings to you…” He shrugged at Wolfram’s surprised facial expression. “I was also surprised. It also seemed to me that he was against it. But then… I don’t really know why he changed his mind, but I’m glad he did.”

Remembering the conversation about Kyota he had with Shori, Wolfram nodded. He had noticed something in Shori’s face then, but was really able to grasp it. Besides, then when he had punched Yuuri and ran off from Shori’s flat, then Shori tried to reason with him. Somehow he had missed it then… In addition, if Shori really were against him, he might have simply let him die.

“I’m glad,” Wolfram brushed his blond strands off his eyes. “It would have been troublesome otherwise…”

Yuuri chuckled. “Don’t worry about my brother. It’s really not his business.” He rubbed Wolfram’s shoulder with his palm to assure him.

In the evening, when the sun was already gone, they finally reached the castle. The guards recognized them immediately, the news spreading around quickly.

“Your Majesty!” Gunter ran off to Yuuri as soon as he entered the castle. “Your Majesty!” He grabbed Yuuri in a hug, squeezing the life out of him. “A whole month! Where has His Majesty been and…”

“Wolfie! My boy! Wolfie! You are okay! I’m so happy!”

“Crap…” Wolfram muttered just before his mother started chocking him between her breasts. Conrad chuckled, his grin wide while Gwendal just snorted, but he could hardly hide his relief and amusement.

Yuuri and Gunter squeaked when Cecilie let go of Wolfram and wrestled Yuuri from Gunter’s grasp. Yuuri was pressed face first into the lulling mountains and enjoyed the ride until his face got blue from the lack of oxygen.

“Your Majesty!” Gunter tried to push Cecilie away. “Your Majesty!” He finally succeeded in saving Yuuri from his hiking and Yuuri stood in front of him, gasping for air. “What happened, Your Majesty? We all were worried here.” 

Resigned, Yuuri shortened his latest experiences to: “Wolfram and I got sucked into a swirl and got to Earth. Then we…just waited for you to show up. But Murata promised to teach me how to summon the gates.” 

“Is everything okay?” Conrad asked and Yuuri nodded, his smile wide. Then Conrad turned to Wolfram to change several words with him.

Gwendal nodded, “Welcome back.”

Yuuri grinned up at him.

“There’s so much paperwork accumulated during your absence, Your Majesty!”

Yuuri’s grin faltered. “It’s evening, Gunter…”

“King’s work is never done,” Gunter pointed out.

Yuuri took a long breath. He nodded. “I’ll go change and have a snack and then will come to the study.”

“Don’t overwork yourself,” Wolfram clapped with his hand onto Yuuri’s back. “I expect you to be in our bedroom after three hours.”

“Heard that, Gunter?” Yuuri chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “I have other duties to take care of…”

Conrad’s brow rose at that.

“Okay then. Find for Kyota something to dress and would you take care of the farmer for me?” Yuuri asked Wolfram.

“Sure thing,” Wolfram nodded.

“Thanks.” Yuuri leaned to give Wolfram a quick peck on the lips then ran off to change, leaving the stunned party behind him. He had considered many schemes in his head about how to tell everyone that now Wolfram and he were an engaged couple not only fictitiously but also practically and had decided this to be the best way. Besides, running off was really the best thing – he couldn’t really look the brothers in the eyes while telling them that he and Wolfram...oh, and not to forget that whole thing about backfiring power swapping... They would kill him. 

Yuuri could also bet that Wolfram was also already gone from his brothers’ and Gunter’s vision. Or maybe not. Maybe the blond was eagerly explaining the whole thing now. Fine with him.

“Yuuri, you damn wimp!” the halls echoed. “Yuuri!”

Nope. Wolfram wasn’t eagerly explaining the whole thing. Not turning around, Yuuri started hopping two steps at once and then quickly ran into his chambers, slamming the door shut behind him. 

Half an hour later Yuuri snuck out of his chambers and slunk to the kitchen. He slowly rounded a corner and eye to eye met Conrad.

“Yuuri, I want to have a word with you.”

Yuuri’s brain made a leap - “Yuuri” – Conrad called him “Yuuri”. One couldn’t want anything good from that. “Ehhh…” he drawled, backing out and trying to find the doorknob behind his back. “It wasn’t really my fault. I didn’t know about the whole power swapping thing, besides, Wolfram himself did that and…”

“What power swapping?” Conrad frowned at Yuuri who flattened himself to the door, his right hand fumbling for the knob hysterically. Conrad’s face suddenly appeared to be too close to Yuuri’s. Wolfram had told Conrad that Yuuri had decided not to call off the engagement but didn’t mention any details. “You and Wolfram…? Did you…? Yuuri?”

Yuuri realized he had made a mistake. “Ehhh… Uhhh… Well, we are a couple.”

“Okay…I know that much,” Conrad drawled, his hazel eyes turning dark. “Now explain to me why you mentioned “power swapping”…”

Yuuri shifted from one foot to another. “It’s a bit complicated…”

“Not as much complicated, as it will be after Gwendal finds out that you have fucked Wolfram…”

Yuuri almost jumped out of his skin. He quickly raised his head to see grinning Murata behind Conrad’s back.

“I’m gonna sentence you to death,” Yuuri promised. His attention suddenly came back to Conrad’s face that didn’t promise any good. “Murata is talking nonsense! We only had oral sex and it’s… Ehhh…” If he could walk right through walls, he’d have disappeared into that door behind him.

“Yuuri…” Conrad leaned in even closer. “I understand that you come from the world where are not many restrictions, but here…some things work differently… You are too young to have sex!”

Yuuri waved his hands against his chest, sure that if Conrad leaned in even closer, their foreheads would touch. This was what he had been afraid of. “No, we are not! Besides, we really only…”

“Yuuri…” Conrad growled.

Yuuri could see that none of his explanations would help. He could understand Conrad worrying about his little brother but it wasn’t like he was some perverted creep or anything. They with Wolfram were pretty equal in that sense and it hurt him somewhat that Conrad… Well, but he also could understand that. There was simply no way it could be different with Conrad being protective over his little brother. And Gwendal… That was still coming.

“Conrad,” Yuuri said, straightening, his shoulders squaring, “I promise to take good care of Wolfram. Otherwise, my bed is none of your business.” There was a long pause after the words during which he realized that he had to run.

“You…little brat…” Conrad hissed at Yuuri his face red from anger.

That was to be expected. Yuuri whisked out from under Conrad’s figure and ran. At least he had stated his point and he was proud of himself, except this running and except that he had forgotten that the kitchen had only one entrance…

XXXXX

He hadn’t been able to work any today – Conrad had been only one of his problems, later came Gwendal and Gunter. Actually, he had been cursing himself for forgetting Cecilie and not starting to talk sooner while using her as a shield or sponge to absorb all those overprotective and brotherly aghast vibes. Cecilie managed to calm down her sons in five minutes. True, first two minutes of her happy, inconsiderate to others’ moods, babbling and shouts after hearing the news, made Gwendal smash the dining table in half but later they were just helplessly listening to her and brooding over the - for some reason long ago forgotten - fact that being engaged really included more than cuddling.

After all that commotion had ended, finally getting some time to relax, Yuuri had gone to his baths. Wolfram didn’t even show up for dinner, obviously having decided to take revenge on him that way. 

The dark-haired boy sat down onto the corner of the pool. Leaning back onto his hands, closing his eyes and enjoying the hot vapor, he swished his legs about in the pleasant water. He really had missed this. This was wonderful after walking around in cold weather. 

Yuuri turned his head at the sound of the door opening. For some time there were heard the clothes rustling then the blond’s figure emerged from the thick steam. Wolfram passed Yuuri then shed his towel, leaving it rumpled on the floor and started walking to the other side of the pool. Yuuri was left to stare at the blond’s naked backside that was slowly disappearing in the hot vapor. Yuuri was momentary stunned, breathing function forgotten.

He hadn’t really…seen Wolfram’s body. Well, he did but…didn’t really look at it…like that…like he was staring shamelessly at it now… He had been aware of Wolfram’s looks but had never been aware of…more. Even when they…had fun he didn’t really… True, he had compared them but… Wolfram was handsome, true but there were also some things apart his face he hadn’t really noticed… And those things were… Wolfram was indeed a beauty to behold. Only now he finally completely understood the ones who were chasing the prince: that smooth pale skin, taut backside, long legs, slender waist, the curvy body that was just on the verge of becoming that of an adult. Ripe fruit.

Yuuri startled at his own thoughts, quite shocked to discover the way he was seeing a male’s…no, Wolfram’s body. He had just caught himself thinking all those…things… He wondered if he was an idiot to realize his attraction only now. But there were more pressing matters right now. His erection stood proudly, pointing at the opposite side of the pool where Wolfram had just gone.

“Egh!” Wolfram shrieked, startled when arms suddenly wrapped around his waist tugging him backwards into the body behind him.

“Shh… It’s me.”

The blond frowned, still quite angry with Yuuri’s attempt to avoid confrontation with his brothers and leaving him alone to deal with the mess Yuuri had caused. “Why the heck do youuuuri…” Wolfram trailed off, inhaling sharply when Yuuri grinded his hips against his backside. Yuuri was hard. A shiver passed his body when Yuuri’s lips touched his nape, sucking and kissing. He couldn’t help the sigh that left his mouth when Yuuri’s teeth grazed at the skin, nuzzling the blond locks there. His head fell forwards, the chin almost touching his chest.

All thought about anger fled Wolfram’s mind and a soft gasp left his lips when Yuuri’s tongue went forward to his jaw. “I’m not washed yet…” Wolfram muttered, his knees becoming weak when Yuuri nibbled on his jaw. 

“That’s fine. You smell the best this way…” Yuuri said, flicking his tongue over Wolfram’s skin to have another taste. He felt the prince jerk in his arms but whether it was because of the lick or because of his words he didn’t know. He tightened his hold around Wolfram then slid one palm up Wolfram’s stomach and to his chest to feel his ribcage and muscles. He rocked against the blond’s back, grinding his hips into Wolfram’s backside.

“Yuu… Yuuri…” Wolfram moaned. “What…has…mmmh,” he bit his lips at the sensation that wracked his body, “…gotten into you?” His chest suddenly touched something cold and he opened his eyes to see that Yuuri had somehow pushed him up to a wall. He hadn’t even felt moving away from the pool.

Yuuri rocked against Wolfram while pressing the blond flush to the wall. “I want… I want to…” He wasn’t all that sure what he wanted. But it seemed that his body did. He grabbed the prince by his hips, pulling him back.

“No, Yuuri, we can’t! Ahhh…” Wolfram moaned when Yuuri’s erection slid up and down his crease leaving a wet trail on his skin. “Yuu… Yuuri…” He badly wanted it. He was shaking in lust. He had never thought Yuuri would initiate the things between them so fast and to such extent but the thought was mind numbing. When his fiancé pressed firmer to him he wanted nothing more only for Yuuri to finally do it, to enter, to penetrate him, to take him, to use him, to fuck him. He wanted to feel Yuuri inside him so badly that he was dizzy with want. 

Wolfram’s breath caught in his throat and he moaned when Yuuri’s hips retreated from his. All thought gone from his head, he pressed his palms against the wall to support himself and spread his legs when Yuuri’s hand slipped between them to nudge them apart. Shivering in anticipation, he waited. Something hard, hot and pulsing slid in between his thighs. At first disoriented then turned on even more, he closed his thighs around it to make more friction for them both. His thighs quivered when Yuuri’s shaft slid backwards and forwards between his thighs. 

Wolfram opened his mouth to pant as Yuuri, not ceasing sliding in and out from between his thighs, wrapped his arm around his chest to press them even closer, his other hand cupping his thigh and squeezing it firmly in his palm. His cheek pressed to the cool wall, he could feel Yuuri’s hot breath washing over his damp back while their hips bumped and grinded against each other. 

Yuuri’s erection sliding in and out from between his thighs and up and down his crack from time to time, he badly wanted for Yuuri to simply stick it inside him. Even if somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it would not end well if Yuuri accidentally came inside him, he could only think about that, the thought driving him crazy with need, his hips pushing back against Yuuri’s penis forcefully wanting to feel more of that hardness on his skin.

The blond jerked and gasped when Yuuri’s hand, from Wolfram’s thigh, slid up to his front to grasp his throbbing erection. That was better than that teasing and Wolfram tossed his head back onto Yuuri’s shoulder, moaning, his hips thrusting forward, the both of them quickly finding rhythm, moving in synchrony.

Flesh slapping against flesh, Yuuri rubbed himself in between Wolfram’s thighs, the blond supporting himself with him palms on the wall while Yuuri’s fist was tugging on him firmly, bringing him closer.

Almost, almost, almost… He was almost… Wolfram pushed into the hand, his movements frantic, gasps desperate. Out of breath, his heart pounding loudly in his ears, he could vaguely feel Yuuri’s arm wrapped tightly around his waist, their hips meshing, Yuuri moaning and grunting in his neck, rocking against his back, his movements also quick and desperate. 

“Whh… Wolfram… Ghhhmm…” Yuuri groaned kissing the damp shoulders against him, his teeth scraping over the skin. “Hahhh… I’m… You… Oh, fuck…” he panted. 

Wolfram felt Yuuri tense, his arm squeezing him mindlessly, sliding up to his chest, Yuuri’s mouth hot against his neck and shoulders, lapping at the skin there. Wolfram tried to move away but the wall in front of him didn’t leave him where to retreat. The hardness slipped out from between his legs, but he was too far gone to think about that now except that fist around him. He was close, was… Something slippery pressed against his anus and then pushed right into him. 

The orgasm hit him like a ton of bricks, sizzling all thought in his head, pleasure wracking his body while Yuuri slid his fingers in and out of him, the digits pushing past his clenching muscles. His teeth locked, eyes squeezed shut, Wolfram heard himself stutter something incomprehensive. All tense, his fingers curled on the wall, his backside pushing back onto the fingers to get them as deep as possible inside him, but the movements already slowing and mindless, his back arched into an impossible angle.

When the wave passed, Wolfram, panting and trembling, his knees shaking, tried to hold himself upright but his palms slid down the damp wall, Yuuri’s weight on his back pressing him down. Gasping for breath, Wolfram opened his eyes and, kneeling, stared senselessly at the milky rivulets running down the wall just right in front of his face.

Several seconds later, Wolfram felt a tug on his arm. Still dizzy, he turned his head to look at his upper arm that was in Yuuri’s grasp. Questioningly, he looked at his fiancé who was trying to pull him up.

“C’mon,” Yuuri panted also being still dizzy. “Let’s get you washed just in case I got some of it on you.”

“Ummm?” With the back of his hand Wolfram brushed over his forehead where the blond locks were clinging to his sweaty forehead.

Yuuri felt like laughing when Wolfram didn’t show any wish to move, still slumped at the wall, clearly not comprehending what he was talking about. “The sperm, Wolfram. Let’s get you washed.” He had never seen this clueless and absolutely mindless expression on Wolfram’s face. Fucked senseless, this was what came into Yuuri’s mind. But they didn’t really…do it… Was he…? But it was just…unbelievable… Was it him who made Wolfram look like that…? Really…?

“Oh…” Wolfram seemed to finally come back to earth. “Mmhmm?” Wolfram blinked at Yuuri’s face when the dark-haired boy’s mouth came over his, Yuuri’s tongue slipping right into his mouth, not helping him to concentrate at all and inducing him to answer the kiss.

Yuuri pulled away after a minute. “You look so…hot.” Yuuri couldn’t help chuckling at Wolfram’s facial expression while pulling him up. The prince let himself be hauled up but gave Yuuri a weird look not saying anything.

Slowly, they staggered back to the pool then slipped into the warm water.

“It will be your fault if I drown now,” Wolfram muttered, leaning heavily on the rim of the pool, his legs still quivering, feeling lightheaded.

“Are you really okay?” Yuuri asked after a moment, concern marking his voice.

Wolfram raised his head to look at him then chuckled. “Yeah. But I have to tell you that that was one intense orgasm…”

“You are not angry?”

Wolfram laughed loudly and shook his head. “Hell no. But for a moment there I was sure you’d do it… You…I…” He blushed faintly. “That was damn…hot. Have never thought you would…and so soon…and so… I’ll think about stopping to call you a wimp…” he chuckled again, but his emerald eyes were seriously looking at Yuuri.

Yuuri felt himself flushing red. Wolfram was complimenting him. It was really embarrassing but pleasant nonetheless. “Don’t really want anything similar happening like it was on Earth…” Yuuri muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “And I didn’t take…” he became even redder, “…condoms this time.”

“Condoms?”

Yuuri coughed, not really knowing where to put his eyes. In spite that he and Wolfram had just… “Ask Murata about that – he knows much more than me, anyway. I’m sure he’ll be glad to explain that to you and even in great detail.”

Wolfram shrugged. He walked over to several shelves with toiletries. He ransacked through various bottles of shampoo. He turned around holding a bottle of green colored shampoo that smelled of apples. “Want me to wash your hair?”

Yuuri nodded and waded through to Wolfram. Wolfram poured some of the green liquid onto his palm while Yuuri dunked his head in the pool then raised it, water running down his face then shoulders. Wolfram brushed the excess of water away then started rubbing the shampoo into the black hair. 

“Yuuri?”

“Umm?” Yuuri opened his eyes after feeling Wolfram put his chin onto his shoulder.

“It’s the first time you let me wash your hair…”

Yuuri raised his arm to Wolfram’s neck and turned his head to press his lips softly to Wolfram’s. “And it’s really not the last one,” he said after pulling away. “I’ll even let you wash my back. Each day,” he added, chuckling. He laughed then coughed when Wolfram dunked his head under water without any warning to wash the shampoo out of his hair.

Wolfram grinned at Yuuri’s back of the head when that resurfaced. “Get a servant for that.” 

Yuuri rubbed his stinging eyes. “I would. But I suppose you’d kill him the next day…”

Smiling, Wolfram tousled Yuuri’s hair up affectionately. “Pretty true.”

“Umm?” Yuuri turned around feeling coolness pass over his back. He watched Wolfram’s retreating back. “Where are you going?” He asked as Wolfram climbed off the pool.

“Someone has to clean up that mess on the wall, right?”

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2007-02-13  
> The sequel is called Watch out for the Green Eyes


End file.
